query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
What's a pot belly filled with? | [
"There are generally two type of fat - subcutaneous and visceral. Subcutaneous is best defined as the fat that you can see, the \"inch you can pinch.\" You see it all over a person's body. In some areas it may be thicker than in others, but for the most part it's everywhere. Visceral fat (which gets its name from ... | [
"What the hell is a stainless steel soap?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If we're replacing cells all the time, how do tatoos work? | [
"The droplets of tattoo ink buried in the skin are permanent because they are too large for your immune system to breakdown and carry away. That's why removal of tattoos uses a laser, it heats up the ink and breaks it down into smaller parts that your immune system can then start to work on. Further reading: _URL_0... | [
"So basically, our bodies make more skin by having the old skin cells make new ones. Young people’s cells are in perfect condition, so the new cells are in tip top shape. The older you get, you have damage from the sun and that sort of thing - so the skin cells aren’t able to make new skin as well as they used to.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
In an FPS game, how can you shoot straight to your crosshair when your weapon is on your side? | [
"In an FPS the bullets usually (almost always) come out of your head, model-wise. That's because... it's a game, they position things so that it looks and feels natural, not so that it makes sense or is realistic. If the bullets didn't come out of your head then you'd have the situation where you could be behind co... | [
"I think it works something like this: the whole screen turns black for a split second when you press the trigger, except for a little white dot where the duck is. If you're pointing the gun right at the white dot, it will detect the light and know that you shot the duck."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If acids cause corrosion, why do we put metals in acids to remove the rust? | [
"Corrosion is nothing more than the base metal bonded to oxygen. Acids have a enormous affinity with oxygen, they love each other so much they would do anything to be together. When you mix an acidic solution with rust, lets pick Fe2O3 as an example, the dissolved acid will steal the oxygen from the rust and stick ... | [
"Almost. The key word there is almost. Steel, copper and Nickel will react and create a protective layer, the same as aluminum forms aluminum oxide in the presence of oxygen."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why has the advancement of research in space halted? How can we get it running swiftly again like in the 60s? | [
"In the 60s, the Space Race was going on. Both the USA and the USSR were competing to be the first to reach the moon. After the US landed on the moon, that sort of ended the competition. As tensions eased between the two countries, development slowed down. There are a few factors that have made space development sl... | [
"The main drive to get people on the moon was because of the Space Race with the Soviet Union during the Cold War. They had beaten the US in two major space-travel landmarks before us; Sputnik (first satellite) and Yuri Gagarin (first man in space). Getting men on the moon was a momentous occasion because we \"beat... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it so hard to find the prices of luxury sport cars (Ferrari/Lamborghini etc.) online, while normal cars (Ford/Toyota etc.) have their prices clearly shown? | [
"Because if you have to ask, you can't afford it."
] | [
"Depends on the car, something like a Honda Accord would loose functionality of it looked like a Lamborghini. Most car companies are owned by other car companies (there are really only a handful). Ferrari and Maserati is owned by Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, if another company owned by them (Fiat, Chrysler, Dodge, Je... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is white supremacy and conspiracy theorism so heavily linked? | [
"Fringe beliefs are often linked to conspiracy theories because a conspiracy by a powerful outside force is a good explanation for why 99% of people fail to share your views. What you believe is so obviously correct, but the vast majority of people reject it, so either everyone is stupid, everyone is evil, or every... | [
"The main purpose of conspiracy theory is to give people a reason to feel superior to those duped into believing the big lie. It has very little to do with opposing the conspiracy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does 'glow-in-the-dark' work exactly? | [
"Incoming photons, which are a form of energy, are absorbed by molecules of (usually) zinc sulphide. This energy pushes an electron in one of the atoms into a higher energy orbit (state would be a better word, since electrons don't actually orbit). It's not happy there, and will eventually fall back, at some random... | [
"A mirror reflects front-to-back - not left-to-right or top-to-bottom. Does that make sense?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why do avoiding left hand turns save gas? | [
"If you have thousands of trucks, avoiding the time spent waiting to make left turns across traffic can add up, especially if your planning routes with dozens of stupid. In your personal life, where you only have two or three destinations, your never notice the difference or even travel further."
] | [
"The view us as a threat, not necessarily as predators. I react the same way to 18 wheelers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Animals:"
} |
When it is extremely cold enough to throw a boiling pot of water out side and see it freeze, why is it only boiling water? | [
"When water is hot and boiling, the water molecules are moving really fast and when you throw it into the air they want to move away from each other. This creates more surface area and more places for the heated water to contact the cold air, thus freezing the water. If the water was cold it would stick together mo... | [
"The thing you are licking has to be so cold that it freezes the water on your tongue. If your spit freezes it freezes onto your tongue, and whatever you licked. Hence they are now connected forever, or dump warm water on it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text about Dentistry:"
} |
Does it take more energy to run with 4 legs than it does 2? | [
"Yes it takes more energy to run with 4 limbs vs 2. This is one reason that humans are such good endurance sprinters. Being able to run 15+ miles non stop is fairly uncommon in the animal kingdom, where as humans in good shape can do that fairly consistently."
] | [
"There are a few factors: * They tend to eat a lot compared to their body size. My daughter eats almost as much as I do and she is 1/5th of my weight. * They are smaller, lighter and closer to the ground, so movements such as standing up, jumping, or running are easier for them and take less energy than it does whe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are anti-smoking agencies profitable? | [
"They aren't. They are non-profit institutions. The most famous one, the Truth Initiative was started after the four major tobacco companies were sued by a coalition of 46 states. The settled the lawsuit and had to pay 206 billion dollars over 25 years. About a billion dollars went towards an anti-smoking advocacy ... | [
"Because lots of groups lobby to keep it that way. It would take a group of people to contribute more money than tobacco, alcohol, paper, pharmacy, and other industries are contributing to politicians."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is a greedy algorithm and where did it get its name? | [
"Very short, very simple, possibly wrong, but the gist of it: A greedy algorithm is an algorithm that makes the best choice possible from it's vantage point, without consideration of consequences \"further out\" in the system. Wikipedia has a nice gif: _URL_0_ In that example, the algorithm, whose task it is to f... | [
"To go a little more ELI5: Some problems are easy to solve. For example, say I want to know which movie won the Oscar for Best Picture last year. Pretty easy to answer, right? Let's call these problems P. Other problems are hard to solve. However, if given a solution, it's easy to verify whether or not that solutio... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about computing:"
} |
How do they seal Jars? | [
"The jars are sealed because of a difference in air pressure. When the jars are filled they are heated with the lid on. This causes the air to expand inside the jar and escape the seal. After the heating, the jars are cooled which causes the air inside the jar to contract and reduce in volume, this sucks that littl... | [
"And more importantly how do I get one for myself?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about biology:"
} |
Why can I take high quality videos with my cell phone, but security cameras still produce a very low quality and fuzzy image of people? | [
"Because security footage is recording 24/7 there is only so much room on a hard drive for the video. Most security systems will only keep video for 5 or so days before re-recording newer video. If they did full HD video they would either have to have huge servers or only keep about half a days worth of video."
] | [
"No matter what kind of camera you use, you are going to get lousy quality video and audio. Direct transfer from the source will always be the only acceptable way."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
why isn't the british army called the "royal army" | [
"Historical reasons. The army is allowed to exist by order of the parliament, whereas the navy was personally controlled and raised by the monarch. The army exists, legally, because parliament allows it to. The distinction is less relevant today than once it was, obviously."
] | [
"at the time, i think they refered to the first world war as the \"great war\"."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What's up with DRMs and why are people always so keen to have DRM free versions of software/files? | [
"You buy a refrigerator. You stock it with food. Your power goes out. \"Oh no!\" You exclaim. \"Well, least we can eat the ice cream. And ill make that meatloaf so it doesbt go bad.\" You go to the fridge but its locked. Apparently the fridge needs to be powered, if it doesn't it locks you out of it. \"Why would th... | [
"To be fair, they always don't. Sony for example is going full blown copyright trolling and claiming copyrights on practically everything and this has lead to people being unable to submit their own stuff like music covers and stuff like that.."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How does a mechanical watch know exactly(ish) how long a second is when the input speed slowly changes | [
"You know how the period of a pendulum is constant based on its weight and length but ignores the amplitude of the swing? if not, trust me - it does. Inside a mechanical watch, you've got a [balance wheel](_URL_1_) which is a spring-loaded wheel with weights on the edges that oscillates back and forth. The oscillat... | [
"The atomic clock is not like a watch, it measures vibrations of an atom. The atom vibrates a certain number of times over the amount of time we define as a second. Since these vibrations are constant, if you count them, you will have a very accurate measurement of the second. So in short, you will have to set the ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why didn't dinosaurs evolve to be inteligent but we did? What was different back then? | [
"We have been around for millions of years. Our civilizations are the things thousands of years old. Evolution is not a guided process. Whatever randomly occurs, and works, sticks around. Intelligence didn't develop in some species simply because it never developed or was never needed. That being said, it's not cle... | [
"We didn't evolve from gorillas and chimps, we just have a common ancestor. Humans just got lucky and became smarter than others."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How do we get sweaty hands if there aren't any pores on the skin there? | [
"There are [sweat glands](_URL_0_) on your palms but you don't get acne there because the palms lack [sebaceous glands](_URL_1_)."
] | [
"Everything contributes to acne, but the cause of pimples is things like sweat, dead skin cells, \"skin grease\", and bacteria clogging up your pores. These clogged pores then become infected and inflamed, which is a pimple. The reason your back gets them more often than say, your arms, is due to a number of reason... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why the 'Mandela Effect' theory isn't true? | [
"Haha, he's not wrong, but for the completely wrong reasons. Most of his memories are wrong. At Least when it comes to specific details. The brain is really good at filling in gaps of knowledge. When you remember something, you don't remember yourself naked, so your brain fills in clothes. It doesn't remember what ... | [
"ITT: We never learn whether hypnosis is real or not."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why do 10 year treasury bond yields have such a big impact on markets? | [
"Because they are the \"safest\" investment, those treasury bonds represent the base \"cost\" of money. They are a benchmark to which every other possible investment decision is compared. For treasury bonds, the risk is effectively zero, and the risk (and possible reward) increases with other investment options suc... | [
"What people are willing to pay for it. It is a commodity with reliable value that people generally use to park their money during economic downturns. If the market is not doing well, Gold tends to rise a bit, if the market is doing well it tends to fall a bit. That being said the price doesn't really yo-yo like ot... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
If we accept that taste preferences exist and vary between individuals, how do we decide that a food critic's ability to taste is objective or superior to any other person's? What does it take to become a food critic? | [
"A food critic's primary skill is the ability to author an entertaining story about the time they went to a restaurant and ate some food."
] | [
"Appearance or design seems much more quantifiable than taste, which is far more subjective and varies from person to person."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
What if anything are the police not allowed to lie to you about? | [
"Things They May Not Lie About: 1. If and why you're being held under suspicion (detained) 2. If and why you're being accused of a crime (arrested) 3. What your rights are in these situations (Miranda rights) 4. That something illegal is actually legal (form of entrapment) 5. Evidence found (this one is tricky, the... | [
"I have not heard of any cases of police not arresting black people for killing white people, exactly which cases are you talking about?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why/how do some people pass out on amusement park rides and then wake up like it never happened? | [
"G-force moves a not insignificant amount of blood away from the brain. How much it moves and how long the g-forces are sustained determine the degree to which you experience symptoms ranging from blurred or otherwise severely impaired vision, to blackout or even GLOC (completely unconscious). _URL_1_ And, for your... | [
"What you experience, or physiologically? In terms of experience, I've passed out twice from an injection-induced vasovagal syncope. I'm not afraid of needles, they just make me pass out for some damn-fool reason. Anyhow, both times it was like a jump-cut in a movie. I'm really, REALLY light-headed, and then all of... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Biology/Medicine:"
} |
ELIM5: Why are most major events held once every 4 years? | [
"Presidential elections in the US are every 4 years, but every 5 in France (used to be every 7). Shorter terms make no sense as governments wouldn't be able to implement much. WC Olympics and Euro are massive competitions with many cities involved. On a logistical stand point, these are difficult events to organize... | [
"Why is election on weekdays instead of weekends?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are dimes smaller than pennies, but the rest of American coins get larger in size with denomination? | [
"They may be smaller, but they got it where it counts: material. The dime is made of copper and a bit of nickel, but it used to be silver, which was much more valuable than the penny, which is currently mostly zinc, but used to be copper. Obviously silver was worth more than copper. Currently, however, pennies cost... | [
"We have done this with other coins - there's plenty of them that haven't been minted in years but are still in circulation as valid currency. The penny is a little different because not only is it the only coin of its value, but no combination of other coins can add up to it for the obvious reason. That makes it a... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
If space is a vacuum, what would happen if you took a huge bag of O2 up there and then opened it? Where does the gas go? | [
"Gas is a state of matter that fills the volume of the container in which it is released. Imagine you had a room that was a perfect vacuum, and you opened a small bottle of compressed oxygen in there. The oxygen would expand to fill the room, at a commensurately lower concentration. The same would happen in space Y... | [
"It would be mostly empty, maybe a few molecules bouncing around in it. Assuming the jar was reasonably structurally sound, it would likely be able withstand the pressure differential between inside and outside just fine. If the lid was completely air tight, the jar would basically just sit there, acting pretty mu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How did humans come to adopt the naming model of a first name, middle name, and last name? | [
"The anecdotes I have heard are mostly around identifying people when speaking of Joe to your friend if there are 5/7/10 Joes which one are you refering to? Earlier on it was easier to say Joe the Baker or Joe the Smith which is where a lot of the surnames come from that are associated to jobs, others used Joe Toms... | [
"A woman would have historically taken her father's last name and then her husband's last name, so she wouldn't have had the same first and last name as her mother. Men usually kept their last names so there were more duplicates that needed clarification. It does also seem far less common for mothers and daughters ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
A neutral explanation of jihadism. | [
"Jihad means struggle or battle. Some Muslims take this as a call to self improvement. Some take it as a call to change the world through nonviolent conflict. Some take it to mean changing the world through morally just warfare. Some take it as a call to change the world through any means necessary. Much like Chris... | [
"One thing to note is that the term is almost invariably used by the left via strawmen. Link to the wikipedia article you should have read instead of posting: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Where were all the autistic kids in the 60s/70s/80s? No one in my family remembers friends or classmates that were on the spectrum, now I seem to see them everywhere. | [
"As was mentioned, we're now better at diagnosing it. In the past, people with mental disabilities (not just autism) were more isolated from the general public. Special schools when they're kids, and then institutions when they're adults. The idea that mentally handicapped people are capable of being productive mem... | [
"My guess? Because we are bad at recognizing autism in females. The symptoms are slightly different. Just like how there are more autistic kids today than there were 20 years ago. Its not that there is more autism, we are just better at diagnosing it. In 20 years, female diagnoses will catch up. We'll see more and ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
The Reddit community-orientated controversy over Papa Johns. | [
"Papa Johns decided to cut employee hours so they didn't qualify for Obamacare and Reddit is a very liberal website."
] | [
"Ask the company that invested it in Reddit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How does tire tread work? Wouldn't that reduce the area of contacting surface between the tires and flat ground, thus less friction and more dangerous? | [
"Completely smooth tyres (slicks) work really well in dry conditions. If you have water on the road surface, then a slick tyre can end up with a layer of water between the tyre and the road, something known as aquaplaning. This causes problems with braking and steering, and so is clearly not a good thing. Tyre trea... | [
"For one, cost. It's significantly cheaper to make inflatable tires. For two, driving experience. Rubber tires are rigid to the ground and have minimal point of contact. Inflated tires have a bit of give when properly inflated, allowing the amount of tire in contact with the surface to give better traction."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about Automotive technology:"
} |
What is that thick saliva that forms in the back of your throat when you run/exercise a lot? | [
"This is just a hypothesis, and I'm hoping someone else can offer some actual knowledge. But based on the fact that when you run and exercise your body uses a lot of water, my educated guess would be that that thick saliva is just normal saliva with a lower than normal water to \"goo\" (official scientific term rig... | [
"Sounds like dehydration. It can do a lot of fucked up stuff to you. Headaches for sure. Do you breathe from your mouth when you sleep? The combination of both could probably dry out your throat quite a bit overnight overnight. Maybe look into a humidifier as well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is heart cancer so rare? | [
"Cancer is the abnormal and unstoppable cell growing. Some types of cancer are very common (like prostate cancer) because the cells of that organ are growing continuously. The heart stop growing at a very young age compared to other organs, and the rarer the cells are regenerate, the rarer the type of cancer is. T... | [
"Your teacher is an idiot. Talk to a doctor about the best way to beat a type of cancer. That being said, a diet high in vegetables and low in red meat would lower your chances of getting cancer in the first place."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is alcohol regarded differently from other addictive substances? | [
"I don't think true alcoholism is treated differently than other addictions. I feel that the scary life-ruining alcoholism has same seriousness as any other type of drug addiction in the media. If you're asking about the social acceptance of alcohol use vs drug use, that's mainly just due to a combination a combin... | [
"It isn't chemically addictive. However, anything can become psychologically addictive."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer about health:"
} |
Does "stress sweat" really "smell worse" tha regular sweat? | [
"Humans have two different types of sweat glands; eccrine glands and [apocrine glands](_URL_0_). The two have different functions and therefore different smells. Apocrine sweat glands are sensitive to adrenaline. So, yes, stress sweat smells more than the watery sweat that comes out of eccrine glands."
] | [
"Cologne is how perfume is marketed for men. Aftershave is for preventing infections after shaving. It may have ingredients that numb skin a bit (so it doesn't hurt that much) and almost all have some fragrance. Deodorant is for killing body odour caused by bacteria that eats sweat. Antiperspirant is a type of deo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
When a clock is say, five minutes ahead of time and we reset it, why does it return to being five minutes ahead? | [
"The timing mechanisms(?) are off, so a minute or an hour on your clock is not the same as a minute or hour in real life, so gradually over time it begins to get further and further out of sync. Then someone notices it is out of time, resets it and the process starts again."
] | [
"It is \"of the clock\" as was already answered. I'll take it a step further. Now with digital clocks we're used to everyone's clocks being in sync. This wasn't always the case. Clocks being out of sync used to be a major problem, and the further back in history you go the worse the problem was. So \"of the clock\"... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
What is the motive behind facebook posts asking obviously easy questions? | [
"Social media accounts normally don't get paid \"per comment\" or anything like that, but a bigger and more engaged audience is going to be easier to monetize. If simple, relatable content can get a conversation going, that may lead to a critical mass of people and attention that could be good for business. The way... | [
"While I realize this is a real question, I believe there's a rule about asking loaded questions."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In a nuclear explosion why do things get vaporized? | [
"The temperatures generated near an exploding nuclear weapon are in the several tens of millions of degrees. This is enough to vaporize pretty much any known substance. Once you start moving away from the explosion, however, the temperatures drop off dramatically. They are often still quite high enough to burn huma... | [
"Basically, the air is so hot that it glows. The light *is* emitted from where the fuel *burns*, but also from above it, because the hot glowing air will rise. Eventually it cools down enough for it not to glow any more."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How to whistle with your fingers? | [
"Take your thumb and any finger (middle works best for me). Bring the tips close together, but leave about a 1/4 inch of space between them. Use your fingers fold your tongue back. Curl your lips around your fingers and blow. It takes a lot of practice. Edit: Wow! Gold! This is awesome!! Thank you kind stranger!"
... | [
"It is the easiest sound you can make with your mouth full."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why doesn't rain seriously harm us when it falls from the sky? | [
"Gravity does cause things to fall with increasing speed, but as they speed up air resistance increases (think of sticking your hand out the window while driving 10 mph vs 60 mph). Eventually the force of the air resistance is enough to balance the force of gravity, so the acceleration stops and the raindrop reache... | [
"Temperatures are not above freezing a few Km up in the air. Hail falls too fast to melt before it hits the ground."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are pizza deliveries much more common than delivering other foods? | [
"Pizza is easier to order since you can order a few items for an entire group, same with Chinese food. Could you imagine ordering McDonalds over the phone for 5 people?"
] | [
"The evolution of Fast Food is actually fairly interesting but the term is applied to any food that can be prepared and served very quickly. While any meal with low preparation time can be considered to be fast food, typically the term refers to food sold in a restaurant or store with preheated or precooked ingredi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do dogs/other animals instinctively know how to swim but humans have to be taught how to not drown? | [
"Humans seem to have lost this reflex / instinct, babies actually have a diving (hold their breath under water) and swimming motion like reflex (not true swimming) until about 6 moths. _URL_0_ Haven't seen a good explanation as to why. Instinctive swimming seems to be hit and miss in primates, there is some info th... | [
"It's a comfort thing. Most people who have not taken proper swim lessons hold their nose when going under water out of fear of getting water up their nose. Those who have had proper swim lessons or are just naturally comfortable in the water learn how to control the air output from their nose and don't rely on phy... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do some guitars/violins etc. have shapes that look like integrals cut out on them? | [
"These are called f-holes. What they do is they allow some of the sound from the strings to enter the hollow body of the instrument. They then bounce around in there and get louder (as well as pick up a nice tone) then they come out and the instrument sounds louder. Why they're shaped like integral signs I have no... | [
"I play guitar, and I have tried to make musical instruments of my own design. It's a combination of things. First the tones of each string are not linear to begin with. They are more like an exponential curve. I think the reason that they are not perfectly curved is because of size limitations, playability, and th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why do girls mature faster than boys? What is the biological process that makes this happen and what purpose does it serve? | [
"well if you think about human progression over a few thousand years, most humans most likely came from woman who had kids as soon as they were biologically able. So if you could have more kids earlier on, the more genetics you have in the population. so for human survival, having the early maturity trait was prett... | [
"There is actually some evidence that sex during pregnancy causes the mother to release some hormones to the baby that are beneficial to development. In other words, more sex during pregnancy is a beneficial survival trait. In addition, the social and survival benefits of having a dedicated mate during a time of gr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why does it become difficult to speak clear sentences on a call when you hear feedback of your own voice? | [
"[This is why.](_URL_1_) Basically your brain is trying to process hearing speech that is the same as what's coming out of your mouth causing confusion. [Devices ](_URL_0_)have been invented which can stop a person from speaking by recording and playing back their own voice seconds later."
] | [
"As the phone broadcasts your voice, it add a inverse sound wave of your voice to the recording of the person you are calling to cancel your voice out. Like noise cancellation technology."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Language and Communication:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Language and Communication:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Technology:"
} |
the organization of house #s in America | [
"I just bought a house in America (yay). I told my family in the motherland (UK), and they asked why the long house numbers? Is there a 1 Main Street? Why is my house # 10126, when it's not the 10,126th house on the street? As its the 8th house on the street, why isn't my house # 8?"
] | [
"The space allocated for the entire program, it just becomes unmarked and available for rewriting."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do people refer to flu season as a seasonal time of year? Does the flu usually pick up around Jan/Feb? If so, how is a virus seasonal? | [
"Communicable diseases *do* spread more during the cold part of the year because people spend more time indoors in closer proximity to others, but that's not the only reason for the flu season. Birds play a role in transmitting flu viruses and the viruses migrate and mutate with bird migrations. So, this year's flu... | [
"There are numerous strains of influenza, and they mutate constantly so a vaccine from a year ago won't be effective on the same strain this year. So every year Doctors for the Vaccine companies look at what current strains are circulating around that are most likely to come over to North America for flu season. Th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
why have laser printer ink cartridges not been standardized? | [
"How would printer manufacturers make money if they did that? Compete on features and reliability?"
] | [
"To make you spend more on ink, so you can't just use it as a black and white printer. Some printers let you print without colour cartridges though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What are (if any) the adverse effects of desalinating ocean water in large quantities? | [
"A very large amount of energy required to run said desalination plants which means a lot of money and environmental impact. Also, a very large amount of maintenance as salt water is corrosive."
] | [
"You're talking about expending a lot of energy, and that's why it's expensive. That said, desalinization is used in places that have ample access to seawater, money, and limited access to fresh water -- rich desert cities like Dubai come to mind."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are gaming controller buttons letters or shapes? | [
"Colors are insufficient delineations when 20% of the population experience some form of colorblindness. Higher percentage in lower income areas."
] | [
"How would you know which button was the bottom button if they didn't put one on?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
American Fraternities | [
"I was in a fraternity in the southern US in college. I will refrain from telling you how much I enjoyed it, and how I think it made my college experience better, because I know how the majority of Reddit feels on the matter. I will say that most of what you see in movies is greatly exaggerated (as are most stereo... | [
"Check out Robert E. May's *Manifest Destiny's Underworld*."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How do they measure distance traveled in space? | [
"If you are traveling in space with a mirror. Then they would send light from earth to your mirror. Light will reflect and come back. We know speed of light = 300000 km / s. We will calculate the time it took for light to come back say 5 secs. So distance traveled is 300000 multiple by 5 = 1500000 km. Since light h... | [
"They're actually moving at full speed, it just appears to take longer because of the distance traveled."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why is Proactive so ridiculously expensive? | [
"They are willing to pay that much because it's relatively effective and because it's endorsed by celebrities."
] | [
"Are you saying we should be more racist towards cats?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why your signature is as valid a form of verification as your fingerprints? | [
"Your question is worded incorrectly. It isn't valid verification. It's an acknowledgement. It's basically the company saying we obtained an acknowledgement from the person claiming to be said person. You can dispute nearly anything, especially in America. But you would have to claim that you were being impersonate... | [
"Faking a signature is actually sort of hard. Assuming they actually bother to check, most people have a unique signature that is difficult to mimic. Plus for REALLY important stuff, you need a Notary or Lawyer to witness the signature anyway. That's one of the primary functions of a notary."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is quadratic the term for an equation with a variable of power 2, when quad typically refers to 4? | [
"Quadratum(or quadratus) is the Latin word for square and so quadratic means something is square like"
] | [
"All transcendental numbers are irrational, but not the other way around. Irrational numbers are simply numbers that cannot be represented as ratios of two integers. Transcendental numbers are numbers which are not algebraic. All rational numbers are algebraic, but also many irrational numbers are algebraic. Algebr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
A simple Monty Hall explanation | [
"Always had a pure math, but not intuitive grasp of this problem until I got this explanation: Monty Hall brings you into a room with 10 billion doors, only one of them has the prize. You pick a door. Monty then opens 9,999,999,998 doors, Monty says that none of the doors he opened had the prize in them. There... | [
"See this post: _URL_0_ It has a definition for basically every type of road."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How come a camera can take only 4 megapixels photos and 1080p video? Is there no correlation between pixels in photos and film? (HTC One) | [
"A still from a 1920x1080 resolution video is less than 4 megapixels (1920*1080=2,073,600)."
] | [
"35mm film actually have much high resolution than digital HD. Typical HD is 1920x1080 which is 2,073,600 pixels or about 2 megapixels. 4K UHD is 3840x2160 which is 8,294,400 pixels or about 8 megapixels. 35mm film has about 20 megapixel resolution. If the original film are well preserved they can go into a machin... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come the sound from earphones is very muffled and quiet when you press them hard into your ears? | [
"Sound is made up of invisible waves that travel to your eardrums causing vibrations which your brain interprets as sound. Air works best for these waves to get to your eardrums. If the headphones are pushed in really tight, most of those waves are going to be carried through your ears skin and cartilage which does... | [
"Do you mean ears as in exterior or ear drum and canal. If the exterior of your ear hurts it's likely you have either an on ear or poorly fitted over ear headphone with to much clamping force. Try stretching the headband by putting the headphones on a box slightly larger than your head. If the insides of your ear h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
How does social media groups like UNILAD and similar have 10 million fans by just reposting stuff that comes to the Reddit frontpage? | [
"Mainly because they are on Facebook, so a lot more people get to see the content they post. Depending on security settings, chances are you have at least one friend who sees, and potentially likes/shares their post. Because they liked or shared it, everyone on their friends list sees it too, whether they follow th... | [
"Your frontpage brings you a selection of the most popular posts from all your subreddits. So, it an be the most popular post of that specific subreddit, and because of that it will be put on your front page. Even though there are posts with more upvotes on diffrent subreddits."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why is a Hot Shower or a Hot Tub so Amazing, While Hot Temperatures Outside are so Miserable? | [
"Possibly 2 factors: 1. You have *complete control* over the temperature, which makes you more willing to withstand it. In a similar fashion, we know that people will subject themselves to much higher pain thresholds when they know they can stop it; but if they feel like someone *else* is making the decision, then ... | [
"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 title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
When I'm on a swing, how is it possible to keep going higher just by pushing the air with my legs? | [
"It's not about pushing the air with your legs. By swinging your head back and your legs forward (when you're about to start swinging forwards), you're exerting some force on the chain which actually lifts you up a little higher. On the way back, you do the opposite motion (head forward, feet back), which lifts you... | [
"Moving up you just push with all your might. Moving down requires more fine control. You're holding yourself up and slowly lowering yourself down."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
The difference between computer science and computer engineering | [
"In addition to these great answers, this question was asked a week ago and there was a very good response posted. I am going to link to that post now, right after I type enough characters here to evade the auto-mod. That ought to do it. _URL_1_"
] | [
"Computer science is not graphic design. Computer science is not user experience design. Computer science is not even directly involved with the building of complex websites."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
If the US is so deep in debt, how do they still have money to spend? | [
"If I make $100,000 yr (lets say $5,000/mo after taxes, health care, retirement, etc) and have a $500,000 mortgage ($3,000 per month in P & I), money may be a bit tight, but I have plenty of cash each month to make my payments even though my debt is massive relative to my income."
] | [
"They are broke, the entire country ran out of money and had to get massive bailouts from the EU just to stay solvent"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why can't this be drawn without lifting up my pen/pencil at least once? | [
"I think the problem is that there are four points where five lines come together. If you start at one point and finish at another, then you can handle two vertices with an odd number of lines. All of the other vertices have to have an even number of lines, so you can come in and go out without getting stuck there... | [
"Follow up question, why do I have like three times as many hairs around my left nipple than my right one?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do we have 12 hour AM/PM as well as 24 hour systems? Which came first and why was the second one created? | [
"In Roman times, daylight was divided into twelve equal hours. So an hour in summer was considerably longer than an hour in winter. Unless you were a sentry, you had little need to measure time during darkness."
] | [
"Most places use the 12 hour clock when speaking, even if they use the 24 hour clock when writing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do so many celebrities want to be photographed by Terry Richardson? | [
"Question 1: Am I a celebrity? * Yes: Move onto question 2 * No: Who gives a shit about you? Question 2: Do I like to look terrific in photographs? * Yes: Move onto question 3 * No: Use your iPhone for nude selfies Question 3: Do I mind being raped? * Yes: Call Annie Leibovitz * No: Terry's your man!"
] | [
"He stole jokes and got outed by other comedians such as Joe Rogan for doing so."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do visual graphics improve on the same console? | [
"The reason the graphics improve over the lifespan of a console is to do with the ability of the developers and how much knowledge they have of producing games with the current system i.e. they might be new to developing for consoles and they cant just instantly be amazing at developing graphics or game-play for it... | [
"Because it already takes too much time to teach you how to pass the tests that determine the schools funding."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are carbs and sugars in fruits and vegetables different than those in other foods like pizza and twinkies? | [
"Super oversimplification, please don't murder me: The carbs in fruits and vegetables are generally complex carbohydrates (such as starch), which are more difficult (metabolically) to break down. They're also generally accompanied by the massive amounts of micronutrients, so fruits and veggies tend to be recommende... | [
"Processed aka simple carbohydrates are very quickly and easily broken down into simple sugar molecules. Excess sugar is stored as fat. Whole wheat sources have carbohydrates in them, but they also have a lot of fiber. Fiber is what we call the parts of food that your body can't digest. Those calories aren't absorb... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What makes a planet spin? | [
"They spin because there's nothing to stop them. Newton's first law of motion is: An object will remain at rest or at constant motion unless acted upon by an unbalanced force. Since the earth is spinning in a vacuum there is next to no friction slowing it down. So why did it start spinning in the first place? Thin... | [
"That sounds like the opposite of a problem."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why are predominantly African-American churches so much different than more White churches? | [
"Black people were segregated from the white population for a long time and weren't welcome in their churches. So they had to hold their own services. It's only natural that it evolved into something a little different."
] | [
"Many of them were founded by churches as a form of charity. There are certainly plenty in the modern day that have no direct religious affiliation, especially those connected to universities."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why do plastic water bottles start to smell bad when left for a prolonged period after being opened? | [
"2 Main things: 1 standing water breeds bacteria, so water left to sit will get nasty no matter what it is in. 2. cheap plastic bottles will leach plastic into them over time (and quicker if its warm). This is why all those bottles have small print saying not to reuse them. Its not too bad if its a day or 2, but yo... | [
"The actual plastic in the bottle will decay and somewhat \"poison\" the water inside. Note however that no company would put the expiration date as the point at which the water becomes dangerous. In other words, the expiration date gives a rough estimate for when the bottle is probably becoming a bit unhealthy, bu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does refinancing work when it comes to taking out loans? | [
"A re-finance means that you entirely pay off one loan and replace it with a new loan. This is typically done to get a lower interest rate or to lower your monthly payment. 1. it lowers your monthly payment because the principle left on your loan is less than when you started your original loan. So...your new 30 y... | [
"In a regular mortgage, you borrow money from the bank to buy a house, then slowly pay the money back to the bank. In a reverse mortgage, you already bought the house and paid it off, but you borrow further money using your house as collateral. Often this is in the form of borrowing money from an institution, who ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
When pouring liquid out of a carton, why does it come out in waves? | [
"As you pour the liquid out, air has to rush in to fill the void that's been left behind. As the air rushes in, it causes the liquid to make those waves."
] | [
"The bottle is actually two containers (one inside the other). There is a thin gap between the two which is filled with liquid. This allows a very small amount of liquid to appear to fill the entire bottle. When you tip it, the liquid flows through the gap and down into a resevoir in the top, making it appear empty... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why are the people that seem to love laughing and cracking jokes usually the ones that are actually depressed? | [
"The two most common personality types amongst comedians/naturally funny people are ENFP and ENTP. These two types, like all NPs, overanalyze everything and spend a lot of time in deep contemplation. This contemplation includes, especially for ENTPs, dwelling upon the meaninglessness of existence. This, combined wi... | [
"Sometimes it's insecurity, the bully makes themselves feel better about themselves by bullying others. Some people are just cunts though."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How does in-flight WiFi not pose any problem, but using cell phones might do? | [
"As older planes are phased out, almost all planes are built to withstand interference from phones. The biggest problem is actually with phone's base stations. The phone system is designed for phones to be on the ground, only able to get signals from a few towers, and generally with only one strong one. But when yo... | [
"Technically, you don't. Mythbusters tested this a while back, and phones didn't interfere with planes at all. That being said, since so many new phones are developed all the time, there's a ban on using them during the flight, just in case they might affect the plane."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How does Pi work, how was it discovered, and why is it so critical in mathematics? | [
"Pi is the ratio of a circle's circumference to its diameter which is equal to approx. 3.14. It is also a vital figure in accurately calculating a circle's dimensions and many other geometrical values. It has also has all sorts of interesting and unique properties like the fact that there is no discernible end, rep... | [
"Let's say you want to find the circumference of a circle. The first step is for you to measure the diameter. How accurately can you measure the diameter? Can you measure to within 1 millimeter? 1 micrometer? How many digits long will your most accurate measurement of the diameter be? That number will be much, much... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Mathematics:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Mathematics:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Mathematics:"
} |
Why are computer highlight boxes blue? | [
"When Microsoft released their first version of windows they had to choose between only 8 colours to display stuff against white. Most looked awful (yellow, green etc) Blue looked the best 'non-black' thing on those primative screens. At that time they chose blue as a standard colour for loads of things that would ... | [
"> I wanted to know if anyone knows why there's a black box at the bottom of the pdf file. Your .pdf reader is messing up, there is no black box."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What are those square power boxes in our backyards for? Does every house have them? | [
"If they're green metal boxes, they are transformers. You probably have underground electrical service. These essentially take the place of the [gray metal cylinders](_URL_0_) on utility poles, which are used in overhead electrical services. Underground electrical services run high voltages just like overhead powe... | [
"Air conditioning, water tanks, electrical controls. If you go up to the roof, you'll find its just a room full of things like that. No need for windows in a room like that."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do the GBA versions of SNES-ported games have washed-out colors? | [
"Because they were designed to be displayed on a GBA screen and not a TV screen which almost certainly doesn't have the same color depth, among other physical hardware differences."
] | [
"PAL and NTSC run at different hertz (50 or 60) and as games are usually developed for NTSC, unless they're ported correctly they often lag and experience glitches when put onto PAL systems (this is why certain regions are chosen for speed running usually, because unless there's some awesome glitch that skips a who... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why do crops need to be planted in a different place every year for the ground to be exhausted, but trees can just keep giving fruit for years in the same place? | [
"Trees don't take nitrogen from the soil like many crops do. That's the issue. You can't grow crops if there's no nitrogen in the soil. Certain crops pull nitrogen from the air and put it back into the soil, and in some cases it's better to do that than dump a bunch of fertilizer that could mess up the water table.... | [
"They will not be completely drained because we add them back into the land. By rotating crops, adding fertilizer, and adding ash from burning crops after harvest we bring the land back to a rich state that can nourish crops."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do video game developers still make games for last-generation consoles? | [
"There is still a massive market in the previous generation consoles. You want to appeal to the widest audience as possible. While the Xbox one and ps4 have sold well, they are nowhere near the amount of 360s and ps3s sold."
] | [
"Some games come to PC first and to consoles later (Diablo 3). Some games come to consoles first and PC later because the developers want to optimize the game more or add new features (GTA 5). Some games come to PC later because Sony and/or Microsoft will pay a developer to wait so that the first release of the gam... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about videogame development:",
"pos": "Represent the document about videogame development:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does excess food stretch the stomach but not excess water? | [
"Excess water can actually stretch the stomach. Competitive eaters will often practise by drinking tons and tons of water, so they \"train\" their stomach to stretch more without having to eat unhealthy amounts of food all the time. As for why eating food makes you more full than drinking water, there are two reas... | [
"It depends on how much you eat. But typically, after eating high calorie foods high in carbs at once, a large amount of blood has to go down into the stomach area causing less blood to be in the head, promoting exhaustion. That's another reason why they recommend small frequent meals over eating a lot at once."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
If someone is born color blind, how do they know they are? | [
"A lot of times they don't know until they happen to see one of those color blind tests. That's how my brother found out he was. He saw one at the beginning of a movie and didn't get why there were a bunch of dots. And I told him it was a color blind test and that there are two or three different colors in the circ... | [
"Well, some people are color blind. The world is bound to look different for them. There is no way of knowing if people with normal vision all perceive colors the same way, though. I don't think the color of your eyes has any impact on what colors you can see."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do we feel compelled to hit/break stuff when we are angry? | [
"fight or flight response humans when confronted with problems have a fight or flight response - animal nature. You choose to fight and tackle the problem, or flight and avoid it. When you get down to the most basic instinct, you want to solve the problem by destroying it. If you're angry at something you can't hit... | [
"Because it helps to take your mind off of the embarrassing thought. I do that a lot when I'm hung over."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What happened with Hilary Clinton and her emails and why is it a big deal? | [
"Essentially, while Hillary Clinton was secretary of state, she was using a personal email address routed through a private server for official correspondence instead of the government one. It's mandated that officials use the government email addresses for records purposes. So it's not overly sinister but I find i... | [
"He made some dumb anti-semetic jokes and the Wall Street Journal decided to call him out because apparently there wasn't any actual news in the world that day."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are many women needlessly naked in many paintings while men are often clothed? | [
"Incidentally, the picture in question is actually portraying an Athenian statesman, Alcibiades, not a naked woman. He's likely naked as a nod to the ancient Greek tendency to laud the young male form and depict it naked, and perhaps as a sly acknowledgement of the Athenian custom of older men taking younger men as... | [
"Hi! When I lived in Africa (peace corps) the sexual objects in my tribe were the knees. Women wore skirts but were not shy about being topless. Breasts were seen as only semi-sexual, much like legs are seen here in the states."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why are salt water fish so much prettier than fresh water fish? | [
"From what I've read here people are on track but not quite getting it. The responder talking about the colors of the environment is accurate for reef fish, but that doesn't explain open water. Like Mahi. The reason that a lot of the fish are so vibrantly colored is because they are schooling fish. They are bright ... | [
"Their bodies are adapted to their environment. Fresh water doesn't have a lot of salt, so fresh water fish don't have a lot of salt in their bodies. Salt water has a lot of salt, so salt water fish have a lot of salt in their bodies. If you put a fresh water fish in salt water, it's not used to that level of salt,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How is it I can hate a song when hearing it for the first time but grow to love it after repeated listenings? | [
"Could be conditioning, you may happen to have been listening to the song when you were already feeling a sense of contentment and now you associate that feeling to the song whenever you play it."
] | [
"Usually it's triggered by a memorable lyric of the song showing up somewhere in your life. Like the title of the song or a couple of words or a phrase that you saw somewhere and your subconscious puts them together making you start thinking about the song or singing it or whatever. This happens to me all the time.... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text about Science:"
} |
How do dollar stores provide the same food as retailers for cheaper | [
"They purchase overstock, discontinued items, defective products, and things like that for a massive discount. Basically factories were going to throw away these products because they couldn't sell them to anyone else. Lays probably just had some overstock. Nothing wrong with the chips, they're just as safe. It's a... | [
"Factory stores started out as a way for stores to sell previously unsold merchandise or items deemed imperfect. To keep up with public demand for factory stores and the expanding factory outlets business around the country, stores now create merchandise specifically for their outlets that you would never find in t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How can European companies like Zara afford to produce their clothes in places like Portugal and Spain, while American companies rely on sweatshop labour to sell at the same price? | [
"Zara (Inditex) has sweatshops all over 3rd world countries. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Part of the problem is that a growing economy means that the workers demand a higher salary, which makes production more expensive. Many companies produce in China because labour is so cheap there. But if it becomes more expensive, companies will start moving to countries that are still as cheap as China used to b... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What causes light bulbs to spontaneously explode? | [
"Are you in an old house? Slight power surge without proper surge detectors through an old lightbulb can product a lot of heat and make the lightbulb pop. I’d consider bringing in an electrician to look at your house, cause that could be dangerous"
] | [
"Lithium batteries perform poorly at low temperatures. The discharge rate drops with temperature and eventually there is not enough to power the phone. Do not try to charge your phone in cold temperatures. Charging a lithium battery under -20 celcius might cause the casing to crack, then short-circuit & explode."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How do IQ calculations work and what do they really tell about a person? | [
"I second the part about the trained professional. I am a special education teacher, and I don't put too much stake in IQs. I've had kids with 65 IQs that could write in complete sentences and do math calculations. I've had kids with 65 IQs who stuggled to write their name and count."
] | [
"> And how serious is a company evaluating you based on the results you get? Are you smart enough to pretend to be a functional human. That's it really. The answers should, generally speaking, be obvious. The tests are all garbage and none of them actually measure anything worthwhile other than whether or not you'r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why did several of my beers that I left out in my Jeep on a below freezing night depressurize, and why did they regain pressure after warming up a little? | [
"Gas dissolves better in liquid at low temperature so the CO2 in the bottle went into the beer. When temperature goes up the gas leaves the liquid and back into the air space. This is the same reason a coke goes flat sooner if you keep it outside and thats why they tell you to serve it chilled."
] | [
"What happens is the pressure that the CO2 builds up when the bottle is sealed prevents it from freezing (more accurately, it would need to get a lot colder before it freezes inside the container) but it is well below freezing temperature. If you time it just right when you open a supercooled soda, you can pour it ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why are Ads such big monies? Who falls for this crap? | [
"It puts the brand/product in your head. So if you find yourself thinking, \"what kind of chips should I buy?\", then lots of people's thoughts will go directly to Doritos, especially if they just saw a memorable Doritos commercial."
] | [
"The majority of the money is spent on advertising, so who benefits? * TV stations * Radio stations * Google, Facebook, and other companies with big online advertising departments * Everyone who has a website that's monetized using online ads"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Where do electrons get their energy to spin from, and how does such continuous motion not violate the law first law of thermodynamics? | [
"Electron spin isn't actual, physical spinning. It's just a quantum property that behaves in a way that can be mathematically modeled as spinning. Further, things that are spinning don't need energy to continue spinning as long as there's no friction slowing them down. That's why planets and stars just keep on spin... | [
"If you start an object spinning in free space with no forces to act on it, it will keep spinning forever, because of Newton's first law: \"an object in motion stays in motion, unless some force acts on it.\" You don't need magnets for that. Now, if you hooked it up to a generator and battery or something, it would... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How HSBC corporate executives were not charged with crimes they committed while running a company. | [
"Essentially, it was because the US Government thought that if they imprisoned all the executives responsible, investor/depositor faith in the bank would drop and the bank would collapse. Banks collapsing does lots of damage to the economy, and can often cause a chain reaction of financial collapses like the GFC. ... | [
"About 10 years ago, the bank helped drug cartels launder money. There was a criminal investigation, and the bank just settled it with the Department of Justice by agreeing to pay a penalty of $1.9 billion dollars and admit it's wrongdoing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why does the UK have a prime minister and a queen? | [
"History. But the idea of the Head of Government (the person who is actually in charge) and the Head of State (the person who is formally in charge but is actually just a figurehead) being separate people is quite common and quite good. It basically acts as a further check and balance, ensuring that too much power ... | [
"Please help me understand why this vote is occurring in the first place? Why would the Scottish people want to separate from the UK?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How do animals seem to figure out if something is edible just by looking at it? | [
"They learn through trial and error what's good to eat and what's not. They also learn by watching other members of their own species eating and then eating the same things they do. For your specific example, they've long learned to associate people throwing things at them with getting food, so they get excited whe... | [
"Dogs are reliant on different senses than people. You look first, then hear, then smell or anything else. A dog hears, then smells, then sees. So they know before they see it there isn't another dog around."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Animal behavior:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Animal behavior:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
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