query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Why do people think the Iraq war was about oil when economically the war has cost 1000x more than any covert oil extraction could produce? | [
"First you need to understand where the money the war has cost actually went. It financed US companies developing and producing gear. It financed the salary of US civilians and soilders the like. So if you really want to know how much the war has cost you actually have to look at how much money actually left the US... | [
"1) It lowers gas prices at the pump. 2) It may help find oil in regions the US controls. This could lower dependence on foreign oil, which would make the US more independent. Both reasons are flawed, however. Reason 1 is kind of silly, because the subsidies come from our taxes (or, in the case of inflation, our sa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it that in Science Fiction, Military Space-faring vessels are almost always controlled by the Navy? | [
"Because the Navy is the branch of military that is most often associated with travel, and ship, and such. Not to mention naval terms are often used because the other branches don't really have terms for such large modes of transportation. Most likely in the future it would not be any current branch in charge of sp... | [
"Star Trek has some battle scenes that has craft all on differing headings and axes. I think the Battle of Wolf 359, vs the Borg was a good example. But I agree. It seems that they always rendez vous eye to eye"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do we feel embarrassed for others who have nothing to do with us? | [
"I'm no expert so I'll just do my best here. In our brains are something called Mirror Neurons. These are used to help us communicate and see things from someone else's perspective. A mirror neuron is a neuron that fires both when an animal acts and when the animal observes the same action performed by another. If ... | [
"It basically means that if you are too proud to apologise or acknowledge you are wrong you will lead a lonely existence. People don't want to spend time with people that can't admit they are wrong sometimes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does my eyesight improve when I squint? | [
"As we age, the lens of our eye hardens and cannot focus light as well as it once did. So, instead of changing the shape of the lens to focus light, squinting subtly changes the shape of the entire eye, such that the focal length from the lens to retina changes, thereby allowing you to better focus on an object. In... | [
"Are you trying not to blink? Cause you need to blink to keep your eyes from drying out."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Science:"
} |
Based on history, roughly how much of science as we know it is *wrong*, and will need to be corrected in the future? | [
"Don't forget - science does not prove something to be correct. It lends support to one hypothesis or another. When repeated testing, or multiple hypothesis point to a unifying set of concepts and ideas we coin this a \"theory\" - theory of gravity, theory of evolution are backed by millions of experiments and test... | [
"We don't and we're completely conscious of it. History is always an incomplete picture based on what we have available and is shaped by the historian who is writing about it. However, the same can be said of, say, physics. We don't *know* any of it is true, it's just our best theory to fit the evidence we have. I ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why do we not sneeze in our sleep (usually) but we sneeze while awake? | [
"How do you know that you don't sneeze in your sleep?"
] | [
"Some people are prone to it. There is something called the vomeronasal reflex which makes you sneeze when you move into bright light. People who sneeze twice will also tend to sneeze twice when moving into bright light. There is a genetic tendency for different types of sneezing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do computers/phones know how much charge their batteries have? | [
"they create a constant voltage from the battery, normally using either a voltage regulator, or a zener diode. they then use this constant voltage to make a scale, and compare it against the voltage coming from the battery. batteries have a formula relating the amount of charge left in them to their voltage."
] | [
"It isn't anymore. Modern smartphones use lithium ion batteries that, when coupled with your phone, becomes a smart battery. Essentially, your phone will automatically stop drawing current. Some phones even start to draw less current ad charge levels reach 100. So it is okay to leave your charger on overnight. Rega... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why is it so hard to swat a fly with your hand but easier with newspaper? | [
"Your newspaper has greater range, greater surface area, greater velocity, and you aren't afraid of hurt it or anything it hits."
] | [
"Let me answer your question with another question: if you tape a grenade to the back of someone's head and pull the pin, what happens to the front of their head? Same thing, more or less."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
the UEFA Champions League | [
"Very simply, the UEFA covers the biggest football leagues in Europe. Each of those leagues plays for their respective championship titles. But in addition to that, UEFA has a tournament where each of the leagues top teams compete for an uber-champion title. That's the Champion's League. It pits teams against each ... | [
"The other four are simply a repeat of the last four on the front"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
If I buy a software or a pc-game and upon installation I decide that I Do Not Agree with the EULA can I return the package and have my money back? | [
"Usually, the EULA will state that if you disagree with the it, take it back to the store for a refund. Usually the store will refuse the refund as you had to open the package to read the EULA. At this point, you can do what others have done: Get a lawyer and force the issue or accept the loss ... good luck. For ... | [
"Because you paid to purchase it in its physical form so that's all you really own. You don't own the intellectual property on the DVD/CD/BLUE ray which means you don't have the right to download it from another source either. It also means you technically can't copy it for yourself either unless a digital copy was... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do companies like Ferrari which advertise minimally still achieve international recognition? | [
"They do advertise. You just don't see it because you aren't the target market. Have you seen advertisements for audemars piguet, leerjet, lurssen? Probably not."
] | [
"Typically the main difference is the amount of marketing the company puts in. Large brands put in millions of dollars into marketing while off brand counterparts usually advertise not at all. Sometimes they may even made in the same place as brand name products but it comes down to the advertising costs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
what is the argument for net neutrality being a bad thing? | [
"This thread points out the counterpoint pretty well. But to add my own two cents, it's not that net neutrality is bad for the customers, it's bad for the ISPs. On the surface, they want to make people pay more for the high-bandwidth sites, but there is nothing stopping them from functionally locking someone into t... | [
"Because removing net neutrality can earn ISPs billions of dollars. It is in their best interests to try to get it removed (but not our best interests). 2 years ago, by making ISP's Common Carriers in the US, this was the official enforcement of net neutrality, but the ISP's can still try to get congress to change ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why does hunger feel so much stronger than thirst, despite dehydration coming about quicker. | [
"Hunger generally starts when the body stops metabolizing food and starts using stored energy, but there isn't really an equivalent for thirst. That being said, hunger pangs hurt, but being dehydrated feels like walking around with a concussion after sprinting for a mile or two. It's not \"painful,\" but I wouldn't... | [
"When becoming dehydrated, the body responds by releasing hormones to promote solving the issues - dehydration, as a survival instinct. Correct me if I'm wrong but Cortisol is one of these hormones (stress hormone). Which in excess can cause fatigue and headache, like when you stay dehydrated long enough for it to ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why do some cars have timing belts, when chains can last much longer? | [
"Chains make more noise, stretch, & take more power to turn than a belt. The belts stretch too, but not as much (before they need to be serviced), are much quieter, & take less power to turn."
] | [
"Diesel engines are also a lot more tolerant of extreme conditions such as running non-stop and idling for extended amounts of time. Gasoline engines tend to overheat when idling for a longer-than-reasonable amount of time, and a constant duty-cycle causes them to wear faster. A diesel engine can last 500,000 - 1,0... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
what are complex numbers? | [
"[A Visual, Intuitive Guide to Imaginary Numbers](_URL_0_) - Once you've properly grasped imaginary numbers, the last part of this post does a great job in helping you understand complex numbers."
] | [
"Its not so big. Its generated each time you search. Its contain a mathematical formula to create directions. Ps: vsauce make an explanation on YouTube."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does adding fiber to your diet help the digestive system? | [
"Your feces is made up of small amounts of water and mucus, dead cells from your gut, bacteria from your gut, and any undigested food you have left over. When you're healthy, everything on that list stays about the same except for the last one, food remnants, which depends on what you eat. Fiber is a part of food y... | [
"Stomach acids will damage your esophagus and teeth, as well as disrupting the normal digestive cycle and potentially leading to digestive problems."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Health and Wellness:"
} |
if color ink is so expensive, how do companies afford to send me so many full color HD ads and coupons in the junk mail every day? | [
"They probably don't print those on shitty inkjet printers, but on large professional printers that are much more expensive to buy and maintain but have a certain economy of scale when it comes to raw materials consumed. Printing these ads and coupons is likely a lot less expensive for them than it would be for you... | [
"I worked at a bookstore that sold magazines. What the store does is rip off the covers, throw the rest of the magazine in the trash, and send the covers back to the publisher for reimbursement. Not sure how the cost is split though..."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does homosexuality exist in nature? | [
"doesn't answer the question, but most non-human species show homosexuality in the wild. so it does exist naturally, the question is just, what purpose it serves, or conversely, whether it's just a evolutionary messup that doesn't harm enough to justify it getting removed."
] | [
"So what is it about human physiology that makes this work differently for us?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
During the Rwandan genocide, how did the Hutus identify the Tutsis? I don't want to sound racist but how do you tell them apart? | [
"They had identification cards. But at the same time there were minor physical traits that they used to \"identify\" each group, a tactic similar to the onw used with the Holocaust and Jews. Most of these were indistinguishable. They even made a joke about it in \"Hotel Rwanda\" where an American photographer asks ... | [
"They don't. You just can't tell them apart as easily because you aren't familiar with them. Let's say you have a golden retriever dog. You can probably see the difference between different golden retrievers, because you're used to seeing them, but all black cats still look the same to you. This applies with humans... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about biology:"
} |
why, when I lie down to go to sleep, do I occasionally see a flash of light? | [
"Sorry, I'll boost the ISO and turn off the flash next time, nothing to worry about."
] | [
"I've heard if you close one eye and keep one open, blindness is what you see from the closed one. Try it, you don't see black, you really see nothing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is accomplished by the bank by raising the interest rate after so many missed payments on a Credit Card? 20-30%?? | [
"They raise the rate to discourage people from not paying. There has to be some kind of penalty for not paying, or else everyone would just ignore the deadline. But they don't want to confiscate your house just like that - it's easier to try it peacefully at first, by making your debt more threatening. This is very... | [
"The fed is giving loans when it \"prints money\". 1. debit to cash 2. credit notes payable 3. period interest handling (interest expense, interest payable)"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How/when do we develop taste? Why some food tastes disgusting when we are children, and then we grow to like it as adults? | [
"Baby's tastebuds are hyper sensitive to bitterness because most naturally occurring poisons are bitter. This is a self defense mechanism that evolved over thousands of years to protect babies from eating plants that would kill them. As we grow older, our bodies become less susceptible to toxins, and thus no longer... | [
"I don't think that it's jealousy tactics but merely making the baby feel comfortable to know that the food is safe to eat. Adults do it all the time when testing a foreign food. They hesistate until someone they know takes a bite and didn't throw up before they try it out themself."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Some products, like chocolate contain milk products and don't need to be refrigerated, so why is it that? | [
"Things like \"milk chocolate\" generally have tons of anti-microbial ingredients, namely sugar and/or salt, as well as other non-natural additives and preservatives that inhibit the growth of any sort of bacteria."
] | [
"Because they are white in color, and often used as a milk alternative. If they were clear they would be called waters or juices."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Food Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument about Food Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
When people suffer fractures in places like the ribs, how doctors manage to heal them? | [
"> how doctors manage to properly heal a fractured rib? Doctors don't heal anything, only the patient's own body will actually heal a wound. In the case of a rib it needs to be held in place so that the body can fuse the bone, and due to the general immobility of the chest this might just be wrapping the torso and ... | [
"You can still have internal injuries that you can take care of. For instance, to be gentle on a broken bone or careful of sprained muscles, to allow them to heal."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why don't sharks last long in captivity? | [
"Sharks aren't the most robust fish species, and size, diet and activity effect the health of all fish species. Sand tiger sharks and species of cat shark are often kept in aquariums because of their size. Another contributing factor is the build up of waste and size stunting in a tank rather than an entire ocean."... | [
"Because they're not allowed to use chewing tobacco in the dugouts anymore"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How do aboriginals keep their teeth from falling? | [
"What? Okay. I'll try. I'll treat this seriously. - Historically: They would not have eaten large amounts of the diet which traditionally ruined people in the Western world's teeth before modern dentistry, avoiding large amounts of sugar and starch. - Nowadays: I don't think aboriginal Australians on average have b... | [
"They do not have the luxury of eating or drinking sweet things often. This prevents a lot of tooth decay."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does a twin "absorb" the other twin in the womb? | [
"In the very early phases of the developing embryo like the blastocyst it's just a ball of undifferentiated cells. There hasn't been any activity yet to distinguish the individual components: what's going to be the front or the back? Which end is the head and which end is the butt? Because there's no distinction be... | [
"yes and or no. So twins are born at the same time and can be identical or fraternal. fraternal twins are genetically siblings, while identical twins have identical DNA. Fraternal twins happen when two separate eggs are released and fertilized very close in time to each other so they both attach to the womb and ar... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we have a middle name? What is it's use? | [
"Many Reasons 1) So you can tell your Mom is **really mad** 2) So the government can have a better chance of telling you apart from that John Smith who's supporting ISIS 3) So that Family members can feel honored that your child was named \"after them\" without subjecting your child to a first name like Beatrix."
] | [
"What period and country are you asking about? There’s no context in your question."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why do I usually feel smaller and skinnier than I really am? How do I fix this view and get a better sense of how big I am compared to others? | [
"I'm assuming you lift weights? The day you start is the day you become forever small. You just have to remind yourself of your size, attributes, etc. Usually feelings of inferiority are tricks of your own mind."
] | [
"The camera doesn't add 10 pounds, our eyes subtract 10 pounds. We're just shocked when the camera is more honest than what we're telling ourselves in the mirror."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does a president earn money and who sets his wage? | [
"Similar as for members of congress or the parliament of the country: paid by the state, just like any other public servant. Difference is how the wage is set. Usually the parliament (Congress in the States) has to pass a law. In most countries, since there is a clear conflict of interest (they'd literally be setti... | [
"Lots of people in government who have not been elected are authorized to spend money. The First Lady's budget is part of the White House budget authorized by Congress."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is there no sound in space? | [
"because there is no air or other matter. Sound is vibrations in air. No air=no sound. edit: no liquid=no sound as well."
] | [
"In the real world why would anyone want to be a politician?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why is there always news such as "scientists creates a new metal that's 10 times stronger than steel and 10 times cheaper to manufacture", but it never seems to make it out to the real world, ie why isnt the price of cars or buildings dropping? | [
"So, often the news announces something before it's been tested, and then when it goes through testing they find that either A) it's actually not working as they hoped and needs to spend more time being refined or B) it's not going to work at all or C) it is going to work, but turns out to be so expensive that no o... | [
"Graphene by itself isn't really suitable for being the energy storage medium in a battery, but it is being used inside batteries to enhance other materials. The most famous example is the research involving Lithium polymer battery backs laced with Graphene anodes that can chage to full capacity in a couple of minu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why are there different types of law enforcement, police officers, state patrol, sheriffs etc, and what different powers do they have? | [
"There's a [former police office](_URL_0_) doing an AMA right now."
] | [
"The police department is at the city level. They are the primary law enforcement authority for that city. The sheriff's department is at the county level. There is some overlap, but it is important to understand that not every place in the US is within the borders of a city that has a police department. In these p... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why is it that when you are laying in bed, just about to fall asleep, you sometimes suddenly feel like you are falling and jerk back up fully awake? | [
"This is known as a Hypnic Jerk. It occurs most commonly in people with messed up sleep schedules or heavy caffeine users, but can happen to anyone The prevailing theory on the cause, is a lingering evolutionary instinct from our days as early primates in trees. As your body relaxes, your mind can mistake the subtl... | [
"I get sleep paralysis every once in a while. Nothing works except waiting a minute or two. Unfortunately those few minutes are a nightmare because you start wondering if you're actually paralyzed."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How can someone go from having a extremely bad allergy to overcoming it in a couple of years? | [
"Sometimes exposure therapy works, taking a little more each day until you build up a resistance. That's how a lot of the poison ivy medications work. Sometimes people age out of allergies, not sure why. And I've heard claims parasites can cure allergies and autoimmune disorders. Infecting yourself with hook worms ... | [
"It takes time for you to build that tolerance. Especially after going your entire life without it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why is the colour blue so scarce in nature? | [
"For one most, if not all, animals cannot produce blue pigment. So for animals like butterflies or blue jays...the blue color comes from various structural/physical properties that scatter light to make it appear blue (in the similar way, the color of veins appear a blue/purple due to how they scatter light). Now e... | [
"Red has traditionally been associated with danger, possibly due to the fact that our blood is red. Blue has been found to be the most visible color at a distance at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
The purpose of "Right To Work" laws in America and who it benefits | [
"Right to work laws state that you can't be required to join a union as a condition of employment. This allows an employee to work without paying union dues (but they will not have the benefits of being in a union - well this is a point of contention but beyond the scope of an ELI5). Were you thinking of at-will e... | [
"The Justification is that the citizens in the different states have voted to have different laws. That is the only thing that matters."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
How would the world change if we limited each family to two children worldwide over the timespan of 100 years? | [
"The population would fall. Enough children would die before reaching the age of sexual reproduction and enough people would choose not to have their quota of children. Note this is what we will see in the future. Population growth is negative in many places (before immigration) already and we expect the fertility ... | [
"Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. So it highly improves efficiency of mass production by analyzing it. The result is that we can feed 8 billion people globally instead of only 2 billion people. Without the Infrastructures that exist i... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
How gravity assists work. | [
"Gravity works over time. 9.8 meters/second *per second* (well, on earth anyway, and not at the top of Everest, but I digress)...so, you're falling at the planet, you gain speed...but you miss the planet. Now, you're still being decelerated by gravity after you miss the planet, but are going much, much faster so yo... | [
"What's to explain? Why we have it? How it works?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How do post apocalyptic movies make major cities look barren? | [
"For close-up shots, they block off that area of the city and bring in props and set pieces, or they build a set that looks like the city from street level. For distance shots, they use CGI or miniatures."
] | [
"Millions of people would die in the first days alone due to failure of autos and planes alone. Nothing in the civilian world is really protected against one and the military barely is. Millions more would die due to starvation and dehydration and lack of medicine. Food would no longer be produced in factories and ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come I can give perfect life advice to other people, but when it comes to my own life I am doubting about those same isues? | [
"It's easier to say things than it is to actually do them."
] | [
"I personally do it for a number of reasons. Sometimes it helps me remember things that I need to do. Sometimes it comforts me when I feel stressed or anxious. Sometimes it feels good to say that perfect comeback hours later in the shower, because I couldn't think of anything mean to say to that jerk at work earlie... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why is it so difficult to create PC emulators for game consoles that have been around for years (like the PS2, GameCube etc)? | [
"Simple summary: consoles are not designed like PCs and a deep understanding of the hardware is needed to program a good emulator. However, console manufacturers don't want to release their documentation because they don't want people building emulators. So it's down to enthusiasts to reverse-engineer the consoles.... | [
"It was an issue of timing. It was an expensive console that came out only a few short months before the PS2. And everyone knew the PS2 was superior. Most videogame audiences are teenagers or children (especially 13 years ago) and don't have the disposable income to buy several consoles. Most waited until the PS2. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the text about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do snails move so slow? | [
"Because they have no need to move faster. Their method of moving is efficient but slow - and as in loads of things, it's a trade-off that works for them. Were they to move faster they'd need to produce slime at a much higher rate - and the slime is really clever stuff. It's very low friction at low speeds - you ne... | [
"Do you know how a fan works? If so just turn it around"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why do SOLO cups have ridges in the neck? Is this for structural rigidity in the plastic? | [
"Fun fact, they're actually used for [measuring drinks](_URL_0_)!"
] | [
"The pointed bottom helps provide structure to the bottle. If it didn't have this, the bottle would crumple a lot. Gatorade bottles are made of a harder plastic than most plastic bottles, so they don't need the shape to keep their form."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In basketball, what is the difference between a power forward and a center? | [
"Centers tend to be the biggest, and play most near the rim. Plenty of players play both positions, and where they play depends on who else is in the game and who they're best matched to defend."
] | [
"This is the way it used to be. The center is your tallest player, and s/he stands under the basket to help his or her team score and stop the other team scoring. Dunks. Close shots. Close to the center of the rim. The power forward is your next tallest player... not as huge but still very big. Helps get rebounds. ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How do different wall paint colours affect a person with colour psychology? | [
"Like when a diner has a lot yellow and red throughout... It reminds you of mustard and kept hip then suddenly your craving a tasty hamburger or a nice juicy hot dog... Lucky for you this diner makes those. Or hospitals are mostly white and light blue... Calming and clean colors. To promote a calm environment. If y... | [
"Both are popular colors that are are easily distinguished and have a good range of shades that are visible without being garish. A lot may have to do with the fact that they are on opposite ends of the visible spectrum."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How do movies/Tv make it look like they're having sex | [
"The actors wear things to cover up their genitals. The guy might get a hard-on but it's strapped down. Further, it doesn't feel very sexy from the actor's perspective because they are wearing makeup under hot lights with thirty strangers staring at them and they are trying to pretend to be having sex through multi... | [
"they are shot in higher frames, so it looks more fluid, and that makes it look like you are there watching them shoot a scene instead of watching a scene in a movie/tv show"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
If we began selectively breeding gorillas, orangutans, or chimps based on their IQs or abilities, how many generations would it take before they would begin to rival humans in intelligence? | [
"They may never. At least not without direct genetic manipulation. Artificial selection does not create the same kinds of pressures that natural selection does: in other words, on the path to 'human level intelligence' there may be unintuitive milestones that actually appear to be a step back. You see, there are as... | [
"No, they are not. Evolution is not directional, it doesn't have an end goal. The evolutionary pressures which caused our ancestors to become human-like aren't applying to current apes. If they avoid extinction, then chimps are likely to become smarter, but they are not likely to evolve bipedalism and we will proba... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do your fingers get pruny in water? | [
"[Because your nervous system tells them to](_URL_0_). Yes, your body actually controls the wrinkling itself. As for why your body does that, scientists think it might be to improve grip on wet surfaces."
] | [
"The air is much drier than summer time. Static electricity cannot build up when there is moisture in the air. Therefore, your clothes stick to you more in the winter time. As a related note, this is why your hands feel dry in the winter and why your lips become chapped more often."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Cold Reading and Hot Reading. | [
"After looking up to make sure I had an understanding of things I can say this: There are two types of Cold and Hot readings. Both mean the same thing at it basic bits. One is used in Theater and the other used in Communications. A Cold Reading is a \"reading\" (depends on the usage in theater or Communication rea... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Education:"
} |
Why is (American) football called football even though you don't play it with your feet and the ball isn't actually a ball | [
"At the time in the world if you didn't play the game on a horse, it was known as *football* because, well you played it on foot. _URL_0_"
] | [
"Initially, there were two main forms of football: association football (i.e. football presided over by the Football Association) and rugby football. \"Association football\" is a bit of a mouthful, so to distinguish between the two forms, \"as**soc**iation\" came to be called \"soccer\". There are many games calle... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why do dollar bills (US) have that distinct "money" smell? | [
"I searched around for an answer a bit and came to a couple different factors that might give money that unique smell. US dollars are made from cotton and linen fibers (which probably doesn't have much of a smell...) and a highly secret kind of ink which is what most likely gives a fresh dollar that unique smell. ... | [
"They take a picture. Your piece of paper doesn't look like a dollar bill. They read the fine patterns. Your piece of paper that you tried to commit counterfeitting does have the fine patterns that a real dollar bill has, because your printer isn't capable of printing the fine lines. Take a magnifying glass to r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
how NASA is able to fix electrical problems on the curiosity Rover from so far away? | [
"There is very little they can do, besides turning circuits on when they work, or off when they don't work - and of course the age-old \"switch it off and on again\" to reset a system when a software glitch is suspected. With regard to the recent electrical problems, according to [this site](_URL_0_) the problems w... | [
"The space station is currently used for conducting experiments in micro gravity. But it can also be used as a checkpoint for longer missions that require heavy payloads. For example: if we want to send a ship to the moon we can send the ship without fuel to the ISS (International Space Station) and then send the f... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
How come when you eat a large meal, and you are "full" do you become sleepy afterwords? | [
"Carbs trigger the brain to release melatonin and serotonin"
] | [
"I think a lot of people are like this, myself included. I've actually mentioned it to a nutritionist friend of mine. She told me that the general rule of thumb is to eat when you are hungry. If you aren't hungry when you wake up, of course eating will make you nauseous. Made sense to me."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why is exercise not enjoyable if it is beneficial? | [
"It is enjoyable once you start doing it. The reason it's found hard to start is because as a rule of thumb, it is evolutionarily beneficial to save energy rather than \"wasting\" it in superfluous exercise. The problem is that in our society, you can almost get around moving altogether; but that hasn't been going ... | [
"Genetics play a large role in weight. Your upbringing also plays a huge factor in weight. The type and quantity of food you ate as a kid, and the amount you exercised growing up conditioned your body. It may be tough, but it's not impossible to recondition your body. Just keep telling yourself that it is a lifesty... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
How come gold is so important and valuable? When, why and how did this process start/happen? | [
"It's one of the few metals that can be found as itself vs being in ore, so it was one of the first metals man kind was able to work. It's shiny with a rich color and will stay like that. It's soft and easy to work. And it's very rare."
] | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Economics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Economics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
To overcome issues related to a gravity-less environment, why has the popular sci-fi theme of spinning spaceship sections (e.g. using centripetal force) not been utilized to create artificial gravity? | [
"A big problem with this solution is that you have to rotate pretty fast. The simulated gravity for a wheel *r* metres across and rotating at *O* revolutions per second is: *g* = 4*pi*^2 *rO*^2 So to get Earth-normal gravity in a wheel with a radius of 4m you need to rotate at 21RPM. Yeah, quite fast. The other pro... | [
"> Will astronauts free-floating in an orbiting space station eventually lose acceleration (velocity?) and slowly hit a wall? The astronauts are essentially in free fall along with the space station itself. This is disregarding factors like the station accelerating or internal air movement (someone really cranks th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the argument about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Physics:"
} |
Why some people have "chemistry" between them and what's happening in the brain that we call "chemistry"? | [
"This 'chemistry' is partly explained by the release of hormones like Oxytocin which is sometimes referred to as the 'love drug' or 'bonding hormone'. It's extremely important for establishing social bonds between people; in particular between sexual partners and between mother and child (specifically the mother be... | [
"I would imagine it is similar to how humans enjoy being in contact with people they share a bond with or attraction to. The physical contact releases endorphins in our body and makes us happy -- same with dogs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If white is the presence of all colors, and black is the absence of all colors. What is clear? | [
"Black absorbs light, white reflects it and clear allows light to pass through it. Various colors on the spectrum absorb SOME wavelengths of light while reflecting other wavelengths which we perceive as colors within the visual spectrum. On a scale of transparency (clear) vs opacity (color), clear is 0% color with... | [
"There are three approaches to this. One is from artist point of view, where \"white\" is a background of a piece of paper. White = place where there is no paint, a clear area. Other is from physics point of view. Colour is light, white is mix of lights, but black is no light at all. From this point of view, there ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Does the current net neutrality discussion sweeping Reddit affect me in the UK | [
"It impacts everyone's equitable access to content regardless of what country you're in. It's not explicitly what's happening now that's so terrible. It's the rule loosening that would allow ISPs to effectively choose which sites you can and cannot reach for your average monthly charge. If you watch a lot of YouTub... | [
"It's really hard to tell at this point exactly how much of an impact it will have. Immediate impact though, ISPs are not likely going to be able to extort fees from both ends of the connection: they either have to do one or the other. Depending on how far reaching the proposal goes, it could pave the way for more ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why aren't unidentified dead bodies matched with missing persons? | [
"Well they are, if they can be. The police and medical examiner will use fingerprints, DNA and dental records to match to known missing people."
] | [
"If police series are relatively accurate, there are a few ways this can happen. 1) The body has some sort of identification on them (drivers license, passport,...) 2) Using specific body traits, like dental records, fingerprints, DNA, traceable implants,... But these require them being in a database. 3) Someone re... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do birds detect that there's bread scattered around my garden, and that the nut feeder hidden out of view is full? | [
"Birds care about food a great deal. It's their equivalent of profession to find food. If you provide food for birds often they probably take notice of this fact rather than the individual feedings. Therefore they know to check regularly whether there is food and indeed don't know beforehand if there is. Presumably... | [
"Birds are a mix of instinct and learning. They have instincts from when they are babies like \"open your mouth and stretch your head up as high as you can when mom lands on the edge of your nest\". And then they learn over time to find their own juicy caterpillars. A hall or warehouse isn't like the environment th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do animals recognize and remember humans? Does this form of recognition vary between different species? | [
"The answer to the second question is yes. Some animals will not remember humans because it is not a part they have required in their brains. That being said, those that do remember humans have a number of ways similar to our own senses, but on a more advanced level. There are a lot of different ways animals rememb... | [
"Different species use different ways of communicating their internal states (e.g. their feelings and emotions). Dogs and cats, while both domestic animals, share little else in common. They are not closely related evolutionarily and therefore it is quite logical that those groups or even species within those group... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Animal behavior:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph about Animal behavior:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why did banks need a bailout? | [
"The problem is that our economy relies on banks trading money with each other. Once significant numbers of banks start collapsing, nobody will be willing to do this; you won't lend money to a bank that might not be there tomorrow. And some companies rely on this kind of thing to pay their workers. So if too many b... | [
"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 query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are "swoops" always "fell"? | [
"[It comes form Macbeth. \"Fell\" has a somewhat archaic meaning of \"cruel,\" and so the \"fell swoop\" is a cruel one, which makes sense in the phrase--- since a fell swoop is one that cuts off all other options in a single action, an unmerciful outcome.](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"Nope: Opposites poles attract, so your \"N-poles-facing-out\" cube will just drop down and stick on to the \"S-pole-facing-up\" slab."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If my parents are not contributing at all to my college education, why does their income still get calculated into my Financial Aid package? | [
"Because the financial aid system is based on the premise that your parents are *supposed to* pay at least a part of your college expenses if they can afford it. Whether or not they do is their choice, and shouldn't have a bearing on how much money the government is going to cover."
] | [
"A subsidized loan is when where someone else, usually the gov't, is paying the interest for a while. In the case of a student loan, it means you don't accumulate interest on the money you borrowed. You borrow $50K, you owe $50K when you graduate. With an unsubsidized student loan, you usually don't have to make pa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does stroking (many times) my disposable razor over denim/jeans make it sharpen again? | [
"There are three possibilities: 1) The effect is purely psychological. 2) Rubbing it on your jeans is cleaning out little bits of hair, skin and soap that were clogging it. 3) You are stropping it. If a blade (either a razor or a knife) is made of good steel, then it will actually retain a sharp edge for quite som... | [
"The blades have very small bristles that embed in skin and irritate it, next time pluck a blade and run your fingers down the sides of it, you'll notice the friction of the barbs"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Does having different colored eyes affect how much light your eyes filter, thereby affecting how you view the world? | [
"The light goes through the pupil (the black part). Light doesn't go through the colored irises."
] | [
"I don't think its just people with prescription glasses. Our eyes see using combinations of 3 different colors: Red, Blue, and Green. Out of these three, they are the worst at seeing blue light and best at seeing green light (which is why the image when looking through night vision goggles is green). So in a nutsh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How the insanely rich manage their accounts and actually spend their money. | [
"Probably the same way most everybody else does -- with credit cards, cash and checks. The primary difference is that they have personal bankers who ensure their credit cards and other bills are paid on time and there's enough money in their accounts to back up their spending by moving money in and out of various i... | [
"A lot of wealthy people paid other people to figure out how to use loopholes to avoid paying taxes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Finance:"
} |
Through which ways did heretical/forbidden religions proselytise and/or worship yet stay hidden in pre-modern urban environments? | [
"Well most times people would participate in houses of a fellow member. I am sure you have seen the fish that so many people associate with Jesus/Christianity, that came as a result during a time of human persecution in the Middle East. One person would draw half in the sand with their foot during the conversation,... | [
"Polytheistic religions don't transition into monotheistic ones. It's just that certain monotheistic religions (primarily Christianity and Islam) work very actively to displace other religions, either by killing off or by converting nonbelievers. ETA: Some polytheistic religions are still alive and very well (Hindu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the jump from 240p to 360p so extreme, but 360p to 480p is so minor? | [
"Part of this could be that if YouTube defaults a video to 240p, it's because the video was already recorded with a potato (great wording, by the way. I'm stealing that phrase). If you record something in 240p, even if you scale it up to 1080p it's still going to look terrible. However, the gains you get from addin... | [
"PPI, pixels per inch is the term you're looking for. Just like a small image might be super sharp while small, but after zooming in to a big size it will be all pixely and blurry. For example HD 1080p on a 15\" screen looks as sharp as you can reasonably see. HD 1080p on a 100\" screen can make it look pretty pixe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What to know when building my pc? | [
"There's an entire subreddit for this! /r/buildapc is a pretty outstanding group. Check it out!"
] | [
"What are you using it for? Where are you located?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do German luxury automobile brands such as Audi/BMW/Mercedes recommend oil changes every 15K+ miles whereas American standard brands like Ford and Chevy still recommend oil changes every 3-5K miles? | [
"Service contracts. BMW used to recommend oil changes every 5000 miles or so, but then the marketing department got involved and offered free oil changes for the first X years, and once the dealers had to pay the cost of the service the interval magically tripled so you needed fewer of them. The effect is that with... | [
"You don't need to change every 3K miles, for a car like that its more like 6-7K. For the new diesel car, the motor is more efficient and works a bit different so changing every 8K-12K (depending on the specific car) is more realistic. Some diesels can even go up to 15K!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How far away are we from achieving a breakthrough in data compression like Pied Piper's compression algorithm from Silicon Valley? | [
"We already have data compression that often comes within 10% of the theoretical limit -- the place where mathematically there is nothing left to compress out."
] | [
"It's a valid metric that was created for the show. See [here](_URL_0_). It measures compression ratio versus compression speed. The Stanford professor who they hired is named Weissman. The algorithm the characters created that was able to dramatically shrink the file size of a large video in a matter of seconds is... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is Ford advertising the Transit (commercial van) so heavily. | [
"Because it is a huge profit maker for Ford. The van is built in Turkey as a passenger van and then shipped to the US. The passenger parts are stripped out and then sent out to dealers as a professional van. The reason for this is bypass a US tariff on professional vans which is not on passenger vans. Originally th... | [
"I can speak on behalf of the GM side. It is no Chevy that is split into different brands, but GM themselves. GM (based on strictly USA / Canada) has Chevrolet, GMC, Buick, and Cadillac. When going overseas and into Europe, they have even more brands (Vauxhall, Opel, etc.) I'll focus solely on the North America bra... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does listening to music use so little charge on a phone, especially compared to other things? | [
"The bulk of your battery usage is your phone's display, and video processing. Watching a video, for example, has bright display, lots of video processing, internet streaming, AND audio. Listening to music, especially with the screen off and in your pocket, just requires streaming and audio, and WAY less of the str... | [
"They only have a bluetooth radio which is very low energy. The cell phone has a cellular radio (or two) that are constantly transmitting and receiving information. They also have a bigger screen and bigger processor that use a lot more power. So yes, the battery in the phone is bigger, but it gets used up at a muc... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do men, traditionally, have short hair and women have long hair? | [
"A lot of it has to do with the military requirements of WWI. This is also why the male standard is to be clean shaven. Prior to WWI long hair was common on men, as were beards. The military required short hair to limit liability in hand to hand combat, and required you to be clean shaven for the better fit of a ga... | [
"Hair gets brittle with age, short hair has fewer split ends. Curly hair covers up bald patches better than flat hair. They're mostly styling/coloring their hair anyway, may as well curl it. It's the fashion of their generation. Why do teens style their hair as they do? Because their friends are doing it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do security software companies keep their computer systems safe when researching new computer viruses? | [
"There are two main ways that antivirus companies can protect their systems while researching malware: They can ***sandbox,*** which is the practice of using virtual operating systems running on a computer. This sandbox emulates an entire operating environment: the OS itself, memory, hard drive space, even down to ... | [
"Rather than worry about hackers, who tend to be one step ahead of programmers, smaller publishers, or those who don’t think they can keep up with changing security processes, use Facebook or Google to login users. This pushes the onus for having secure login protocols onto the multibillion dollar corporations that... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do companies continue to sell products that have a poor design? | [
"Same reason Nickelback keeps making music... people keep buying the shit."
] | [
"If they say 100% effective but someone still becomes ill. The product will have a negative shadow cast over it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Science:"
} |
What are the drawbacks of big companies like google, facebook, amazon tracking our personal data? | [
"All that data collection comes at the cost of your personal privacy. Most people don't care, and trust that these companies won't do anything unethical with or leak your data. The possibility for it getting out accidentally is still there, though. In my personal opinion, I don't care if they collect data on me, as... | [
"it's not so much that he isn't giving as big of a spotlight to the other apps, but more of an all around anti-google thing. google is unprecedented when it comes to the amount of data and information they pull in, which is seen as compromising. I don't know about others, but Google is the only company that knows ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the text about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
why are some beards two or more colors? | [
"I would really like to know the answer to this as my beard is black with several red hairs all over."
] | [
"As best as I know, different areas of hair growth have many different properties. Not just speed but in some cases color. I have a beard and while most of it is black a little bit on each side of my chin is orange. Some parts grow faster and its just coincidence that for you its neck thats faster. Joke answer, you... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
After a day of a hard workout, my muscles are sore the next morning, why? | [
"_URL_0_ DOMS, or Delayed-Onset Muscle Soreness. I think it's not completely understood, but the theory is that it's micro-trauma, tiny tears in the muscles, which your body repairs bigger and stronger. Btw keep at it, eventually you'll love the DOMS, and be upset when you don't get it."
] | [
"I don't know the why exactly, but I think it's because you've strained the muscles and they're trying to heal. My hands shake when I finish rock climbing as well because the muscles are so sore. Sorry it's not very helpful"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why aren't "Coin Dozer" games that pay out real quarters considered gambling? | [
"It is about the distinction of 'game of chance' vs. 'game of skill'. The coin dozer game you describes is considered a game of skill. What you are doing is paying a fee (each quarter) to get a chance to try to try to win a prize (more quarters). It isn't gambling because you aren't betting whether or not you'll wi... | [
"No protection for creators of mechanics in games. Candy Crush is Bejewled which was probably something before that, Angry Birds is Crush the Castle, etc. Lack of curation by Apple, Google , Amazon, they just let any shit on their service so long as they are taking a cut and can market \"One million Apps Launched\... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
When a jet lands, the engines always roar as we decelerate. What's going on? Are they running in reverse or what? | [
"It's important to note that the engines themselves don't actually run in reverse- the thrust is directed somewhat forwards. Here's a good example of a thrust reverser in the deployed position- there are several different configurations that do the same thing; the principle is the same on all of them. _URL_0_"
] | [
"The plane isn't propelled by the wheels. It doesn't matter what is happening to them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If the temperature of a place is determined mostly by the amount of sunlight it receives, how come different places have such varying temperatures at night? | [
"temperature is not determined by sunlight alone. altitude, latitude and weather conditions also have to be considered."
] | [
"It has zero to do with solar flares. If you have a big swing like that and you don't live in a desert, then most likely a warm mass of air has moved in to replace a colder one, rather the air itself changing temperature. If you do live in a desert, then the sun alone can do that - things warm up in sunlight and c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why does water left in bottles start to smell bad after a few days? | [
"It goes off. Water isn't sterile, it has bacteria in it like just about every other foodstuff. A few days at room temperature and you have a bacteria field-day."
] | [
"Because many states/countries requires all food and beverages to be marked with an expiration date. It is that simple. Even if you live i a state of country that doesn't have that requirement, chances are that the water you buy will still be marked with an expiration date. Just because it's simpler to mark all the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why don't screenwriters get more recognition? | [
"Because you can have a terrible script but a great director and/or great actors can make the best with what they are given. If you have a fantastic script but shitty actors and/or shitty director, it will be a shitty movie. This isn't to say that the screenwriter(s) isn't important, it's just that if you have th... | [
"They look for people in their clique. Some amazing director never won, it really comes down to who the producer knows, how much lobbying they can do to get their movie reviewed by members of the panel. If you want to discover great movies, don't limit yourself to the winners, look at the nominates and other existi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
What is it about cockroaches that makes them a health code violation, and something that people generally see as disgusting? | [
"Cockroaches tend to live in dirty conditions, harboring a lot of bacteria. They get into things like food and spread the bacteria, which can get people sick. People in general find insects gross, because we know they can be harmful or cause disease (due to bacteria that come with them)."
] | [
"What makes you think rodents are harmless? Rodent-carried (or rather the fleas they carried) bubonic plague wiped out a third of Europe's population. Areas where rodents and insects are aplenty generally point to less sanitary conditions which in turn has an association with human health. Is it an entirely rationa... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
why don't we wear our socks inside out i.e so that the smooth and comfortable parts are in direct contact with our feet (as opposed to the tangly knitting conventional way?) | [
"Socks are designed to be a friction interface between your feet and your shoes. they cling to your feet so that only the sock part moves in relation to your shoe, thus protecting your skin. By having the outside rubbing surface fuzzy, the sock will quickly become frayed and you will get holes in your socks. For i... | [
"Short term, not really but in long run it'll save a lot of wear and tear on the part of clothing people actually see. Washing is really rubbing your clothes together with soap so, wear the inside while washing and wear the outside after 😁"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why it seems to me that Italian mafia and Yakuza seem to think twice about killing cops and government officials, but other gangs like black gangs or Mexican cartels or Russian mafia would kill them and often brag about it? | [
"Italian Mafia & Yakuza are effectively businessmen. Yes, they may use violence to enforce their ways, but in the end, they're after money. They don't get what they want by killing policemen & politicians, they get it by *corrupting* them. Gangs & drug cartels get their money via selling drugs. Cops are *obstacles*... | [
"Because the Cartels are extremely (and I mean EXTREMELY) well coordinated and armed and not just a bunch of thugs high on their stuff who whack anyone they don't like. They are practically a paramilitary group in how they are organized and have made usage of even computers as an art form in how they perform their ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Due to the recent events in the United States why has their been little protest/revolt all over? | [
"Why do people want Americans to riot? WTF is this all about? I see it come up over and over. WTF is it that people outside the US do not get that we're adults about this shit. Unlike idiots the world over who riot about shit and do nothing but destroy their neighborhoods and make themselves look like fucking sava... | [
"There are a number of issues that people were protesting, but overall it was to show that they feel that the current government is malicious and incompetent due to their policies, comments, and broken promises. This is to do with things like education funding, worker's rights, public assets, social security, and t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why will increasing the minimum wage not deplete the purchasing power | [
"Everyone doesn't make minimum wage. There's no reason to believe that raising the minimum wage by X will cause everyone's pay to rise by X."
] | [
"Not all businesses operate on razor thin margins. Many tell their workers to take home minimum wage while they take huge amounts of money to their preferred tax shelter. Minimum wage laws only hurt businesses that could be just as easily hurt in other ways (economic downturn, increased supplier prices, etc)."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did NYC clear up all that paper that fluttered down from the twin towers so quickly? | [
"New Yorker here, the streets surrounding ground zero were cleared up fairly quickly to facilitate emergency vehicle traffic and cleanup crews. But there was still a lot of debris that lingered for months, even a year after you could see papers and dust that had settled on top of adjacent buildings roof and other s... | [
"Because it was hit with a huge chunk of debris from one of the other towers that fell."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
When we say time is the fourth dimension, can we show it on a coordinate axis? Will it just have a positive axis? | [
"Yes, time could be shown on a coordinate axis. In fact, it often is. Any time you have a graph of distance over time, velocity over time, or anything over time, time (almost always the independent variable) is the X-axis. No, it doesn't have just positive. Measurements of time on an axis would have to be relative ... | [
"Basically you can think of a dimension as just an axis with values. The further away from an imaginary starting point, the higher the value. In geometry (and understanding of space) we use spatial dimensions to get coordinates of an object for example, but duration would go on a spatial dimension, and nothing forb... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
When you shoot a gun up into the air, does the bullet fall down with a force strong enough to kill? | [
"Short answer, if it's fired perfectly straight up, it will tumble end over end on the way down and probably won't do any damage. If it's not perfectly straight, it will travel in an arc and can still be at lethal speeds when it comes down. A couple years ago a 12 year old died on the Fourth of July because a neigh... | [
"It would plow through you in a bloody spectacle of gore and transfer some of its force to your corpse, sending it speeding along the same path. There IS a force for the asteroid to push against. As it hits you, your body is going to push back against it with equal force, which will slow it somewhat. Unfortunately ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
If Iceland was able to arrest the bankers responsible for their economic collapse, why can't the US do the same? | [
"The short answer is the Iceland had pretty solid evidence of specific people committing crimes within Iceland. The general \"Global Crisis\" is very, very complicated and don't believe otherwise. It involved financial institutions around the world doing shady shit. If you have a subsidiary in the Bahamas taking a ... | [
"They will absolutely ignore it since US courts have no jurisdiction there and rightly so. I can say with the upmost confidence that the US would do the same. Suing a country because of the actions of some of its nationals is absurd to say the least."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why aren't websites held responsible for serving ads infected with malware? | [
"Thats because mostly ads are not published by the site owners . The ad which we see on websites are published by various ad companies who have tied up with the website owners. Websites are just providing the space for ads and getting money but the ads are maintained by the ad companies like adsense etc."
] | [
"You get computer viruses from another infected computer on your network, or by getting tricked into installing it yourself. Viruses are only one part of the malware family, though. There's also trojans, worms, rootkits, spyware, and adware."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
When looking at a clock, why does the first second seem to last longer than the following? | [
"> This illusion is caused by Saccadic Masking, a mechanism that our brain uses to help us see the world without getting dizzy. Our eyes are constantly moving and our head also turns a lot. Saccadic masking shuts down the input when the scenes that shown to your eyes are blurry. So when you move your eyes, the brai... | [
"My guess is that the five times tables are so easy to remember that it's kind of embedded in our brains. In regards to saying how late you may be, it's much simpler to go by 'fives' since we know that each hour on the face of a clock is equal to five minutes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why does it feel like it's easier to have negative thoughts rather than positive? Also, why are we more attracted to negativity - violence, drugs, and vices? | [
"It is simply human nature. If I told you that there was a new treatment for a hard to cure disease with a 40% success rate, you would think \"wow that's great!\". Now if I were to tell you about the cure from the angle of the 60% of patients who do not respond to treatment you would think negatively of it. The opp... | [
"This one really depends on what kind of person you are in the first place. For example, I find it much more draining to care what people think than I do to just ignore them. It's likely that you're just an empathetic person, meaning you are prone to caring about others and about other's perceptions of you. There r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
the law of supply; why is there a positive correlation between price and quantity supplied? | [
"When the price goes up, people are willing to spend more labor and more equipment and materials to supply the thing; therefore they end up making more of the thing, so quantity supplied goes up."
] | [
"Welcome to the world outside pure math, where the lines between independent and dependent variables get blurry. For example, yes, if price increases, the quantity of goods demanded decreases. However, in a similar system, if the quantity of goods decreases (say, a supply shortage, or a labor strike), then the pric... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
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