query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How do we know that all snowflakes are different? | [
"We really don't know. We base it on simple math and probability. It's so unlikely that we can say with high probability that every one of them is different."
] | [
"If you find out, you'll win a Nobel Prize! There are several hypothesized reasons why we need sleep."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Health and Wellness:"
} |
Why do grocery stores let you do self-checkout when that makes it so easy to steal? | [
"Grocery stores keep track of the estimated cost of theft. They have almost certainly determined that the cost savings associated with self-checkout are greater than any incremental increase in the cost of theft."
] | [
"I'm a little confused. Let's just say you work at Kohl's so I can use a store name. So the customers go to a Kohl's across town, buy the clothes, then return them to your Kohl's? Or do they steal them from that Kohl's, then return them to yours? Do you think the receipts are faked? Or am I missing something else? ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I understand why someone wouldn't want the government to ban gun sales, but what reasons do they have to be against stronger background checks prior to a purchase of a gun? | [
"If the government tracks gun sales, they would by extension track gun ownership (or at least new gun ownership). People are uncomfortable with the government knowing what guns they own."
] | [
"Pretty loaded question, but it's because presidential candidates have tried to get free health care as part of their campaign but citizens don't like more taxes (the 'free' has to be payed for by somebody) The mass shooting issue is a combination of mental health issues and gun accessibility. If they're absolutely... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are we not harnessing solar energy from unpopulated areas? | [
"Cost. Plus the further away the power generation is, the more is lost in transferring that power over long distances (and also the larger the cost to set up the power lines). Plus, solar panels can't run 100% of the time, so require a ton of batteries, and both the solar panels and the batteries require a lot of m... | [
"Because it take a lot of energy to take the salt out of water, and energy is expensive. It can make sense in wealthy places of high population in a desert, like Dubai, for example."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the Wilhelm scream still used? | [
"It's an inside joke among the audio mixing people in the business. They put it in every movie, tv show, cartoon, and commercial where it's even remotely appropriate just for laughs."
] | [
"What's so bad about having something made in Israel?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why is it a problem that Cuba is communist? | [
"The issue is not that they were communist, it is that they were allies with the USSR and are allies with Russia. Russia is still our biggest enemy and we are still having proxy wars against them. The Cold War officially ended when the USSR collapsed, but in most practical purposes it is still going."
] | [
"Not necessarily. Capitalism exists in Communist China today and they certainly are not a democracy."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why do people hold their hands "palm up" when it is raining? | [
"The palm of your hand is more sensative than the back."
] | [
"Crossing of the fingers is a Christian religious symbolism. You're making the cross shape with your fingers. When someone tells a white lie and crosses their fingers, it was to protect you from going to hell for lying."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
can the body repair a rupture of a spinal disk? | [
"So I ruptured the disk in my neck. The doctor explained it like this: The disk is like a krispy Kreme doughnut. When it ruptures the jam inside spills out. It could split on the inside or on the outside. On the outside is not such a problem. However on the inside it can directly apply pressure to the nerves it sur... | [
"Because there's nerves all over and around your bones. Not to mention the \"lesser inclusive\" damage to the area caused by whatever happened to cause the fracture in the first place."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is the time relative ? | [
"Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5: What does \"time is relative\" actually mean, and how do we know that we all experience time in the same way? ](_URL_0_) 1. [ELI5: The meaning of \"Time is relative\" ](_URL_3_) 1. [ELI5 : Why is time \"relative\"? ](_URL_4_) 1. [ELI5: Why is ti... | [
"> growing in popularity Is that the right term?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does standing in one place for twenty minutes make my feet hurt more than walking for an hour? | [
"Standing up straight still requires your muscles to do work. But it's \"static' work which means it's the exact same muscles doing the exact same thing over and over again *without being given a chance to relax and recover* When you are walking around you are using a series of difference muscles. Even though there... | [
"Imagine running to the store a mile away vs walking. One burns way more energy than the other"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why are some banks able to give different rates on things, ie. a higher yield percentage on savings accounts, as opposed to others? | [
"Like any business, it's competition. There are certainly costs involved with running 1000's of branches that online banks don't have to deal with, so they do have some efficiencies they can pass along. But there are also concerns about online-only banks many consumers have, and higher rates are a way to entice mor... | [
"Short answer is because our loan interest went down as well. When the bank is getting 12 and 13% on their home loans and a little more on consumer loans, they can afford to pay more in interest so they have more to loan. This is how they make money. When the interest rates they charged drop so does the amount they... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why aren't birds electrocuted when they stand on power lines? | [
"Electricity wants to take the easiest way to the ground (earth) the wires that are used for the power lines have low resistance, meaning it is easy for the electricity to travel through it. whereas a bird has a high resistance so it is hard for the electricity to travel through it. therefore almost all the electri... | [
"They absolutely can get shocked, and do frequently. They're the second leading cause of damage to electrical wiring in the USA (behind squirrels, iirc). Wood doesn't conduct electricity very well, but when it gets dry the extra heat from the electricity can cause the tree branch to catch fire. This is why most ele... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why chickens are not protective of their eggs like other birds? | [
"I grew up on a small farm. We always had laying hens. So I can tell you from experience that you are mistaken completely. It varies between chicken breeds. Some breeds of chickens are \"broody.\" Meaning they do a good job of laying eggs and taking care of them until they hatch. Broody hens will peck and claw you... | [
"Because they have a better chance of not being eaten by birds, most of which sleep at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it that each month, our country adds "250,000 jobs", but unemployment seems to remain the same? | [
"The real answer (rather than the other person's flippant response about new people being created) is that the official unemployment rate has long been deflated because it doesn't include people who have looked for a job for so long and not had any success that they have given up. Those people are considered to be ... | [
"The Dow Jones index has gone from 7400 to 17300; unemployment has gone from 10% to 5%; the budget deficit has gone from 1400 billion to 400 billion; GDP has gone from 14.5 trillion to 16.4 trillion. Industrial capacity has risen 25% but continues the downward trend it's been on since the 1960s (namely, production ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why is it in their nature for some animals to be so loyal and friendly towards humans while other animals despise us and are not friendly or loyal? | [
"Generally the animals that are loyal and friendly have been bred and conditioned to be exactly that. Take dogs. We have spend thousands of years breeding them. We have selected certain traits that we enjoyed and bred them for that reason. Loyalty and friendliness were some of those reasons. And it is in the dog's ... | [
"Domesticated animals cannot be set free because they do not know how to fend for themselves. They can't hunt and don't know what is dangerous and what isn't. So if let go they would most likely suffer, starve and die. But PETA is against keeping any sort of animal no matter what so their logic is its kinder to kil... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do people become right handed or left handed? | [
"I think it's still unknown. Scientists had a theory that it had to do with left or right brain dominance. But now it's pointing more towards genes. It is weird though. I'm right handed with writing, but left handed in sports (hockey, baseball, golf)."
] | [
"You are not, in fact, a left hander. There are 5(!) different types of handedness. In order of how common they are, you have Right Handed, Left Handed, Cross Dominant, Ambidexterous, and Ambilevous. You are the same type I am, the third, Cross-Dominant. Like you I used to think I was left hand, but I am not and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about science:"
} |
What do lobbyists do, and why are they bad? | [
"They are paid to argue for a particular interest. They get face time with various congressmen and committees pushing their employers agenda. The problem is that their agenda may not be aligned with what is actually best for the people."
] | [
"You can lobby the government too. Call up your senator, that's lobbying. Professional lobbyists just happen to have more resources at their disposal then you. But if the majority of the population lobby their government then they'll usually give in."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
the difference between the Roman Empire, the Byzantine Empire and the Ottoman Empire | [
"The Roman Empire started in Rome (modern day Italy) and lasted for hundreds of years. At it's height, it controlled almost all of Europe, the northern coast of Africa & parts of the Middle East. In the later days, the eastern portion of it became the Byzantine Empire. The Ottoman Empire was founded by in Turkey an... | [
"The Byzantine Empire did not become the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans were Muslim Turks who conquered Anatolia (modern day Turkey), then fought and defeated the Byzantines, conquering Constantinople. This defeat more or less signalled the end of the Byzantine Empire. They subsequently called it Istanbul and told e... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
How those little baby doll toy bottles work where you hold it upside down and the liquid seems to appear like he drank it, but when you hold it right side up, it refills...? | [
"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... | [
"Do you know how when you hold the end of the straw in your juice box? And when you pull the straw out it still holds juice? Same thing. Now stop playing with your juice"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does (fire) cooked food taste better than raw food (mostly)? | [
"> Is it an evolutionary thing so that we cook our food more? Evolution works in a kind of after the fact way. Those who cooked more survived better and thus reproduced more."
] | [
"Related question: What color is human meat when it is cooked? Edit: cooked in the same manner as pork or beef or chicken or whatever"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we only have Black Friday sales once a year? Why can't we have the deals all year long? | [
"Some stores tried this. They found that they sell more if they have higher prices then drop them shortly for a sale than if they keep the sale-low prices all year. People just really like sales."
] | [
"Basic psychology -- someone who's not abreast of line of products might casually walk by, and just the word \"sale\" triggers a response in most people that makes them think \"I should buy this now, don't think about it, don't research it, buy it now because the sale might not last\" Same thing applied to those s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
how to birds fly so in sync in a flock? | [
"I don't have sources, but I have heard a few explanations. First, they make the decision to move in any one direction based on a sort of democratic system. One bird might tilt its tail or wings a certain way, and that is its 'vote'. When a majority of the birds in the vicinity agree on which direction to move, the... | [
"I call this an apple what do you call it? This is how I write apple how do you write it. Same idea for grammar"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Dogs have a fear of heights because it knows it can die if it fell off. If someone was with a dog and jumped off a high ledge, would the dog consciously know the person was going to die? | [
"One thing I'd caution, while fear of heights is not necessarily a hardwired instinct, that does not, by that same token, mean that having a fear of heights actually equates to an understanding that you can die if you fall off. Studies with babies, for instance, suggest that they come to fear heights as their expe... | [
"Well, this would be a really bad idea. Fear is necessary for survival and it is making us more responsible. We would be dead otherwise. Take bungy jump for instance, even if you know you are attached, your brain is trying to stop you jumping because that just crazy and you can die."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do pregnant women with Ebola have a 95% chance of dying, (rather than the 40% chance of dying)? | [
"During pregnancy, the immune system is suppressed to prevent the woman from rejecting the fetus. This makes fighting virulent infections a bit difficult. This is also why many women with autoimmune conditions experience remission during pregnancy."
] | [
"This isn't biology, it's math. To be specific, it's statistics. Doctors know the percentages, basically. They know that, out of 1,000 patients with a specific diagnosis, all were dead within a year, and the average life expectancy *was* 6 months. So when a *new* patient is diagnosed with the same condition, they'... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What will realistically happen in 20-30 years when the babyboom generation dies and their wealth is inherited/re-distributed? | [
"You're making a lot of assumptions not necessarily tied to facts. You're assuming that a decent portion of that 4-10 trillion dollars are liquid assets just sitting in an account somewhere not being spent. A gigantic portion of that is guaranteed to be real estate and property that will simply be passed on as is. ... | [
"In a general sense it is because wages have not kept up with inflation, so people are not earning as much as they used to be earning. Therefore people are not able to save money and afford things like houses which are generally a definition of \"middle class\". > what lead up to this? This is not an ELI5 type que... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does warm air rise? | [
"Density. Warm air has more energy in each particle which means it expands in volume. Equal mass but a higher volume means lower density. Hence,, they rise. Similarly, cold air has less energy per particle and tend to stick closer to each another. Equal mass with lower volume means high density."
] | [
"It doesn't. Cold water freezes faster than hot water. This is a myth."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why do I wake up tired after I've slept in? | [
"If you wake up during the wrong stage of sleep you can feel extremely tired. This is why if you get up after your body wakes up normally you usually don't feel too exhasted, but getting woken up from an alarm can leave you devastatingly tired. This is just one possibility though, there are many others."
] | [
"Your face is swollen when you wake up from sleeping? You might want to stop sleeping hanging upside down, mate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
How will planting a wall of trees across Africa stop the spread of the Sahara desert? | [
"One thing that can lead to desertification is the loss of plant roots that hold soil in place and make it better at retaining moisture. Part of the hope is that the trees will help hold and enrich the soil while also providing some measure of wind break to decrease the extent to which to soil is stripped away."
] | [
"We can, but it is expensive and would have a lot of other effects that we don't want. For example, sand blowing across the ocean from the Sahara is responsible for replenishing the soil of the Amazon. So, even if we can, it might not be a good idea."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Do insects get hot from the sun? If so how do they cool down? | [
"insects are cold blooded, so they generally prefer hot environments to colder ones. This is why there's suddenly millions of them around as spring turns into summer, and why most die off or 'hibernate' (not the technically accurate term, I know) through the winter. In extreme heat conditions lots of insects have t... | [
"There are several advantages, as well as disadvantages, to being cold blooded. By not generating your own body heat, you get to save energy and don't need to eat as much food - which again saves energy because you don't have to hunt. A disadvantage would be that it takes a while to 'warm up' after a cold night. Th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do tennis balls come in a sealed container? | [
"The rubber that tennis balls are made of tends to dry out, stiffen, become brittle and less bouncy if they are left out too long. \"Fresh\" tennis balls bounce better, and are thus preferred for actual tennis play. If you're just buying them to play fetch with your dog it doesn't matter too much."
] | [
"There's a bag full of Easy Cheese. They stick the bag in a can. If you look on the bottom of all the cans, there's always a rubber cork. The cork is what they seal the hole with after they pump gas into the bottom of the can under the bag to pressurize it. So cheese goes in bag, bag goes in can, gas goes in can, g... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is tax exemption for religious businesses such as churches not a violation of separation of church and state? | [
"Non-profits are tax exempt, because most churches are run as non-profits, they don't pay taxes. It has nothing to do with the fact that they are religious institutions."
] | [
"The repeal of this amendment would allow tax-exempt organizations like churches and non profit charities to speak out for/against political candidates. Currently, by doing do they would risk losing their tax exempt status. Basically this would provide the religious right wing to influence elections more by allowi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why does breathing stop being a natural thing after we think about it | [
"There is a part of our brain that controls heart beat, digestion muscles, everything we can't stop, is controlled by that part of our brain. He also controls blinking, breathing, and all things you don't have to control, but can choose to. Those functions have an override 'switch' that you can pull by thinking abo... | [
"It's the same instinct that makes you hold your breath when you're about to put out some serious physical strain, why exactly we do it is not sure, some say it's to focus on the physical activity without the bother of breathing. But for pain it's indeed counter-productive. Edit: Came to realize we probably hold ou... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Biology:"
} |
Why can I be starving when going to sleep and not feel hungry at all when I wake up ? | [
"Fasting State. When you're not actively digesting foods your liver regulates your blood sugar by exporting glucose into the bloodstream based on the amount of insulin in the blood. So you wake up with the hunger response sated and you don't feel hungry until you burn up that blood sugar. _URL_0_"
] | [
"You're not tired, you're dehydrated. You go for 8 hours without drinking a thing while you're awake and you'll. Be lethargic and sleepy. Make drinking a pint of water the first thing you do when you wake up, you'll feel better in minutes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Health:"
} |
The Bohemian Grove club? | [
"Rich and powerful people drink a special juice that makes them happy then they dance in front of a giant owl statue in the forest."
] | [
"Relevant entertaining and informative youtube video Electrocution in Water: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Why do most people sleep better when it rains / thunderstorms ? | [
"I can't say I know for certain, but I'm guessing it has something to do with it being a calming noise to some. Eg. Waves on the ocean, raindrops, piano. I definitely sleep better when it's raining, so there's that."
] | [
"It doesn't. That may be a coincidence you are noticing. It can thunder without rain (heat storms, etc). It can rain without thunder."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did Mexico defeat France when they were clearly outnumbered? | [
"At the battle of Puebla? The French weren't ready for a fight, and the Mexicans were. They had made much better defensive preparations than the French forces expected, so the French attacked expecting an easy victory and weren't able to react when they met stiff resistance."
] | [
"The French were globally believed to have the strongest military in the world. Not to mention a believed strong defensive line along their border with Germany. So it wasnt that they didnt think they couldnt beat Germany, it was that German tactics and strategy knocked the French and the British expeditionary force... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
The speed of light and relativity | [
"anyone who measures the speed of light with their own instruments, will find it 300k/sec. From outside, it may look like they should measure a different value, because you expect them to measure the separation speed as seen from outside. answer to this is that the measuring instruments (clocks, rulers) change so t... | [
"Because it's all bound to the speed of light, so the product of wavelength and frequency equals the same constant"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the post about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Physics:"
} |
How are these new chipped credit/debit cards offering more security when cashiers do not prompt us to enter a PIN, signature, or show ID? | [
"While that is the case, most identity theft doesn't happen with your actual card. It happens when they get the card numbers. If you had your actual card stolen, you'd report that as soon as it happened. People using your card numbers isn't noticed until you see it on your bill."
] | [
"In some places they do actually take your card and match the signature on the back to the signature you write on the receipt. It also gives you a vehicle to dispute a charge you didn't make - if someone writes a completely different or obviously fake signature it can be proof that it wasn't you who signed it. Som... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument about technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why/when did tea begin to lose its popularity in America? | [
"Have you never stepped foot in the South? We drink gallons of sweet tea a day."
] | [
"Coffee is the number one drink in the world. It has spread to the whole world in a few hundred of years. Coffee gives an instant energy boost which many need to start their long day. Some people have much tolerance with coffee, with many others suffer from its unpleasant side effects. Black/green tea comes in a ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why doesn't water burn? | [
"Burning is the release of energy from combining oxygen with something. Water already has all the oxygen it can handle - you can't \"burn\" it. If you want to burn something, you can burn hydrogen to -get- water."
] | [
"Why do some parts of the world call gasoline petrol?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why do women enjoy sex even if they don't climax yet men are left relatively unsatisfied when they don't "finish the job"? | [
"just think about what's actually necessary in order to reproduce."
] | [
"Your brain releases chemicals when you ejaculate: norepinephrine, serotonin, oxytocin, vasopressin, nitric oxide, and prolactin. These chemicals change how you think and what you want. I bet you don't want to ejaculate again right after you ejaculate, right?...right?..."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How do gameshows get the money to just give away day after day? | [
"A top network show like *NCIS* is paying about $2 million in episode in actors' salaries alone. A premium cable show like *Game of Thrones* runs $6 million an episode. Games shows are cheap by comparison...no actors, no writers, no car chases, just a single set, a washed up actor and a few bimbos. They do it all i... | [
"A lot of those giveaways are just marketing BS. Are you sure they actually gave away half a million dollars worth of electronics? Or did they just claim they were going to?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why doesn't the military/police use full body, completely enclosed, bullet proof armor? | [
"It's called a tank. They put wheels on it. It would be more expensive than you're worth. stupid heavy, slow. Every shooter is taught to shoot center mass."
] | [
"Law enforcement here: There's really not a lot of headgear that protects against bullets. The ones that do are heavy and uncomfortable. It's just not practical. Also, most police that are killed are not shot in the head. Plus, people cry and criticize when they see us in military-looking gear. That being said; so... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
- The East vs West Hip-Hop feud | [
"Tupac and Biggie used to be friends. Tupac got shot, and thought it was Biggie partially because of his song \"Who Shot Ya?\" Tupac made the song \"Hit em Up.\" Thus the feud."
] | [
"/u/CptBuck on Belly Dancing, \"The Streets of Cairo\" and late 19th century world fairs will probably interest you: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is possible to watch a video file whilst downloading it at the same time? | [
"Let's compare this to an highway in a building-process: On the start you've got the informations about the highway like the name and the length (data size or number of frames). Now the construction workers (your computer/decoder) are getting the plans and the material (data) from somewhere (the server in this case... | [
"So, I've read a lot of the answers, most of them are saying similar things. Where does it save the vide on your computer? For example, if I have less than a GB of space left on my computer, why can I still watch a several-minute HD video on YouTube without running out of space?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why does it feel so much better waking up after 8 hours of sleep at 9, rather than 7 or 5? | [
"Your pineal gland releases melatonin when it is dark. This neurotransmitter tells your brain and body to regenerate. When you wake up while too much is still in your system, you feel bad because you are busy regenerating. After 7, when the sun starts shining, your pineal gland will be releasing seratonin, the same... | [
"It’s not so much fatigue as clock watching... such as “oh, it’s already 2am, I’d better get some sleep!” vs. having no idea whether it’s 10pm or 2am."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Health:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about Health:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why sand/salt melts ice? | [
"The sand is for traction, not so much to assist in melting. It helps cars grip the ice better. Ice is used because it lowers the freezing point of water. Water normally freezes at 32f, while salted water can stay liquid at 0f."
] | [
"Most sodas are mostly water and sugar. The oil on your hands is non-polar, whereas water is polar. ELI5: soda bubbles lose their surfactant potential when in contact with an anti-polar colloidal mixture."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Beep sound used for censorship | [
"It's normally 1k tone, which is a standard for testing audio in broadcast. Basically it's used because broadcasters have always had it available. Many times silence is used, but you notice it less. There may be rules in place that I am not aware of, but generally tone is used when the person's mouth is visible. 'A... | [
"They have been reading lips, same thing now add sound."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How does a plane crash into an ocean kill all people on board? | [
"It is very difficult to land a plane even relatively safely on water. Especially when that water is rough or moving like the ocean is. So when an airplane, which is moving at a high rate of speed, attempts to land in the ocean, it will likely break up on impact. Many of those on board are often killed by the force... | [
"What about the 5 Americans who were on the jet? Or all of the American resources (satellites, Navy, Merchant Marines) that are in use to find it? Or the American company that makes a lot of jets that can't find one now? What about the sheer interesting factor that a jet up and disappeared with 239 people on it? Th... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are dental records used to identify bodies? | [
"Teeth are one of the toughest parts of the body and everybody's history is different. In cases where the body is badly damaged/disfigured teeth may be the only recognizable remains."
] | [
"Pregnant women qualify for Medicaid, which is paid for by the government, if they do not have insurance. The Medicaid cuts off for the woman after the child is born, but will continue to cover the child until it's 18 years old if the mother cannot get health insurance for the family from a private insurance compan... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
In the event of mankind being wiped out (nuclear, asteroid, virus, zombies etc) what do the people aboard the ISS (and any manned spacecraft in orbit) do? | [
"Die. Nothing else for it, it'll come sooner or later when they run out of the relevant resources needed to live. There wouldn't be any specific plans for the crew to follow, and even if there were everybody on board would know it doesn't matter anymore if there's nothing else to do but choose how they die. There'... | [
"Among other many reasons to have a colony on Mars, perhaps the major reason is right now all Humans (and for we know, all life) in the universe is on (or orbiting) Earth. There is a chance (although very small) that all life on our planet will die due to a meteor, supervolcano, nuclear war, etc. within our lifetim... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about Emergency preparedness:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Emergency preparedness:",
"neg": "Represent the document about science:"
} |
The aftermath of a sneeze. | [
"Everyone gets the feeling, I don't know what causes it, probably something to do with blood pressure and heart rate stimulation"
] | [
"Adrenaline dump - the old fight or flight syndrome."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do the Oscars award movies from the previous year? | [
"They're held around the end of February. If they held Oscar's 2017, awarding only movies from 2017, they would only have two months of movies to award. Then, when February 2018 came around, they would miss the other 10 months of films of 2017 because they could only focus on films released in 2018 (a 2 month span)... | [
"In the specific case that you are mentioning, it is because they are both Oscar-nominated films. It's standard procedure to release the Oscar-nominated films abroad around/after the awards, so that they can reap in the largest audience possible. They're just showing The Artist, Moneyball and The Iron Lady in India... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post about Media:"
} |
When a car is moving on TV or a movie the wheels look like they're moving backwards... | [
"If you take a picture of a clock every minute, then show the pictures in rapid succession, it will go from 12:00 to 12:01 to 12:02... and it'll look like it's going forward. If you take a picture of a clock every 23 hours and 59 minutes, then show the pictures in rapid succession, it will go from 12:00 to 11:59 to... | [
"Next time you're in a fast moving vehicle (and not driving) look as far off into the distance as you can, then look right beside the vehicle. Things really far away barely seem to be moving while things really close to you appear to be zipping by. At night, the distance you can see is greatly reduced so all you ca... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are some people very light sleepers and will wake up at the drop of a pin, while other people are extremely heavy sleepers and can sleep through a brass band? Why aren't all adults roughly similar in their ability (or inability) to sleep through noises? | [
"_URL_0_ Basically some peoples brains are just better at blocking out noise then others."
] | [
"If you are sufficiently worried about not getting enough sleep (or about anything else) that can cause an adrenalin reaction that will keep you awake, because the body is responding to what it perceives to be an emergency. As a species, our evolutionary background is one of emergencies which require fight or fligh... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Sleep and fatigue:"
} |
What is the concept of a nation-state, and how is it different from pre-WW1 concepts of soveirgnty? | [
"Before nation states, countries were mostly owned by dynasties (long lines of royalty) and/or aristocrats (the ruling elites that owned vast property). Once countries converted into “war machines”, it became a sort of social contract between the state and the people, where the men would be conscripted into the war... | [
"A country is being imperialistic when it's asserting power over other countries through militaristic or political (usually militaristic) means. \"Imperialism\" comes from the world \"Imperial,\" which is a word used to describe any collection of states/territories ran by an emperor or other sovereign figure, also ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do people hold their hand on a bible when making an oath? What if the person isn't Christian? | [
"The \"hand on the bible\" gesture is purely symbolic. Meant to express that your words are all honest. If you are not Christian, you can ask for another religious text or governmentally binding, secular text where you will be asked to perform the same gesture."
] | [
"(In the USA) You *can* use the book of texts of your faith, if that's your choice. So you could do it on a Bible, Torah, Koran, or what have you. Some Judges are fine with it. Other Judges do not allow books, objects or anything else to be used, just your word in a public affirmation. You don't have to use any sor... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
What exactly is DDOS | [
"its when someone denies your internet connection by clogging it up with spam. imagine the driveway to your house. you can usually drive in and out of it fine when theres no traffic. if theres a few hundred cars of traffic on your street, its going to be hard and time consuming to get out of your driveway. DDOS is ... | [
"Also; what is the mental state of mind DURING?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Why and how does flour/dust explode? | [
"It doesn't really explode, it burns. Explosives turn to gas almost entirely and this *new* gas causes a shockwave as it makes space for itself and pushes air away. Flour/dust burns, because it's dispersed fine particles it causes a huge fireball where entire volume is on fire, heating up the atmosphere air already... | [
"Bacteria on/in your skin metabolize the minerals in your sweat and create a by-product. TL;DR: sweat is bacteria farts."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Different writers for Star Wars VII-IX. | [
"The writers and Disney have worked out a basic framework for the films. All the writers and directors know how the broad strokes of the stories the films are going to tell, but the writers/directors will fill in many of the details and decide what is the best way to actually tell the story. A lot gets added and dr... | [
"Yes to both your questions. See: Spy satellites."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
what's actually happening to us when we "burnout"? | [
"Will power is finite. It's not an unending well like some people would like you to think. For those that willpower comes easy to, they can by very dismissive of those for whom it comes very difficult. Might take you 5 will powers to not eat that cookie. Might take someone else 50 will powers. There are things tha... | [
"you might be like me in that you don't know the best way to put what you are trying to say into words because of all the thoughts running through your head. that's my 2 sense"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Speech and Language:"
} |
the rise and fall of KODAK, and why won't it ever be a 'giant' again | [
"They put all of their eggs in the film basket. They even invented digital cameras (well, Steve Sasson did while working for Kodak), but because they made the money when you bought the cameras, the flash cubes, the film, AND the processing, Kodak had it very good. They saw the digital camera as their enemy (they di... | [
"samsung is a country disguise as a company _URL_0_ samsung itself is 1/5 the GDP of South Korea. Basically, if you manage to split South Korea from Samsung they literally lose 1/5 their net worth. The common joke is that South Korea is the Republic of Samsung Yes, they literally make everything from toliets to li... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How does the website _URL_0_ make money? | [
"They basically sell you to advertisers. Either they are selling your info to them (read that fine print), or they are selling access to your eyeballs to credit card companies. > Does this jeopardize the truthfulness of your credit report since it can be a conflict of interest? Not really. If your credit score is ... | [
"Let me introduce you to reverse image search _URL_0_ and more specifically, _URL_1_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are companies going to make money from Automation when their customers are all unemployed? | [
"Companies don't know and generally don't care: as long as automation can increase profits in the short term -- the current and next quarter -- it's a good decision and usually provides a competitive advantage. The long term problem of having no middle class buyers is beyond the planning horizon of most companies a... | [
"Cynical answer: Our jobs are taken. By Robots. Most people live in poverty, some people live in fantastic wealth. Optimist answer: Our jobs are taken. By Robots. Most goods and services become very, very cheap and, after a period of adjustment, almost everyone is better off. Sci-fi Answer: Those of us who aren't ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Since a country can print its own currency indefinitely, why can't the US for example just arbitrarily pay off all its debt that way? | [
"Yes. The more money in circulation, the less it's really worth, period."
] | [
"They borrow from their citizens and other governments. This is usually done through the issuance of something like a \"treasury bond\". Citizens, Businesses and other governments all buy these bonds which is effectively a loan to the selling government. Also, don't forget that governments have the power to print t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
What are gimmicks, and why are they often considered bad? | [
"A gimmick is something that makes something appeal better, without adding anything in general."
] | [
"Creating content other people enjoy? Why are movies a thing? What do the creators get out of it? Why is youtube a thing? What do the creators get out it? Why (was) vine a thing? That's probably the more direct western analogue."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does cooked fish irritate an allergy but sushi/sashimi does not? | [
"There was a study done with raw vs cooked pea allergies, that found there were cases where those allergic to the raw pea were not the cooked version. It was found that cooking the pea altered the allergen enough that the patients no longer caused a reaction. My hypothesis from this is the cooked allergen in fish ... | [
"Those are more guidelines derived from sanitary rules/taste. Chicken can be eaten raw, but you risk salmonella infection; beef would probably have consistency of a brick if you deep fry it and so on. Stir-fried fish exists though, don't know why you thought it doesn't, Chinese cuisine stir-fries just about everyt... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
Official ELI5 Bitcoin Thread - Round II | [
"I don't think I understand bitcoins enough to even know what kind of questions to ask. Hmm."
] | [
"CGP Grey has an excellent video describing exactly this: The Problems with First Past the Post Voting Expl…: _URL_0_"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How could humans realistically colonize a planet with modern technology (assuming that getting there isn't an issue)? | [
"Mining tunnels seems the best option today. We can move huge drills to cut large habitation tunnels into the crust. These tunnels would provide shielding from radiation and meteorite impacts. Multiple tunnels can be combined to make large areas for food growth."
] | [
"It would be much like those on the ISS. It would be an airtight set of buildings with pressurized suits for working outside them. There are some that like to play with the concept of terraforming the planet to make it livable without such things. But we have nowhere near the technology to accomplish such a thing a... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
The eurozone crisis. Whats going on? | [
"Greece accumulated a shit load of debt. They can't cover that debt. They need the rest of the eurozone to bail them out. Other countries(Germany) don't want to, but they share the same currency as Greece, so Greece failing would also hurt them."
] | [
"See brexit? See the US elections? That's what didn't happen this evening :p"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are guns/bullets traceable | [
"Guns have an individual id number stamped on them. As far as bullets go, when they are fired the barrel leaves unique markings on the shell which can be traced to the gun that fired it. This only works if the investigator has access to the offending gun and does not work for shotguns."
] | [
"Switzerland has mandatory military service, mental health screenings, and strict control about where you place your gun and ammunition. Every gun is registered, and ammo is heavily regulated"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why are so many retail stores uniforms a blue shirt and khaki pants? | [
"The khaki's represent a laid-back atmosphere to make customers feel welcome and comfortable. The color blue is meant to represent loyalty, trust and intelligence."
] | [
"It used to be that the stereotypical image of a manual laborer be that of a man in a light blue button up shirt with either jeans or khakis and boots, while the salaryman and middle manager was stereotypically in a white shirt and tie with khakis or slacks and dress shoes. In other words, literally wearing a blue ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is it easier for non-native English speakers to sing, than to speak, with good pronunciation? | [
"That's because we repeat the sounds we hear, instead of processing the sound from scratch. Imagine speaking like drawing a horse, isn't it easier to copy one from your drawing book than drawing one from a blank piece of paper?"
] | [
"English's complexity also makes it extremely flexible. You don't have to speak English well to be understood by most other English speakers."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Considering the amount of crap we cram into our bodies, why is urine commonly shades of yellow to brown and not purple or green? | [
"There's a few reasons. 1) artificial dies and food colorings can't always survive the digestive tract intact, so they break down into their constituent parts, which aren't always as vibrantly colored. 2) The digestive tract may not pass the dyes into the bloodstream, so the kidneys may never have the opportunity t... | [
"Urine has waste in it, namely urea. Its yellow. Urine also has water in it. The higher the water percentage in your urine, the more like water it looks. So hydrate well and it will be clear, eat lots of salt and dont drink enough and it will be yellow. If it is red then go to a doctor."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title about biology:",
"pos": "Represent the comment about biology:",
"neg": "Represent the comment about biology:"
} |
Why does some cheese have holes? | [
"Well, it's because bacteria in your cheese fart while it's made."
] | [
"Why do some parts of the world call gasoline petrol?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
Why do websites like Facebook and Youtube feel a constant need to change format? | [
"'If it ain't broke dont fix it' means nothing to executives. If they aren't changing anything, what is their purpose within the company? They have to prove their worth with new innovative changes to boost revenue and other bullshit."
] | [
"Servers all over the world so that you're always close to one of them. They put an incredible amount of detail into every byte on the page - the page is about as lean as possible to still work. They don't load it down with external files & forcing you to load items from third party servers. Basically, speed is the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why aren't the oceans getting saltier? | [
"They are getting saltier. The reason we do not notice is that there is a very small percentage change even over millions of years. The dead sea is a very small body of water compared to the rest of the ocean and its relatively isolated compared to the most oceans/seas. the dead see also would not of gotten that mu... | [
"The ice caps of Greenland and Antarctica are mostly over land, not water. Also, as the oceans heat up, they expand like other materials."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
I'm aware of optical and auditory illusions...are there illusions for the other senses i.e. smell and taste? | [
"There are but there probably are not as many because sight and hearing can be replicated easily (as easy as looking and listening to your computer/smartphone), while smell and taste require actual physical particles. For taste, there is a fruit called the miracle fruit or miracle berry that after eating them, it c... | [
"Smells don't have hue, that is a reference to color which the eyes convey. It appears you are experiencing synesthesia which is a wiring mixup in the brain where perception of one sense is interpreted as another so smells have hues or colors have tastes, etc. As for why your individual brain associates smells with... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer about Science:"
} |
Two objets at certanly distence. Can we put them closer each other by the half distance indefinitely? . I mean the half of the distance, then the half of that distance ......thx | [
"Theoretically, in abstract terms yes. There will mathematically always be another half distance you can divide by. But real world physics don't permit for this. There is a phenomenon called the Planck Unit, which I suppose you could think of as the \"resolution of the universe\". Much like a screen cannot show som... | [
"Using a triangle metod.. You send a signal to nearest station or satelite(but their position must be know), and you get resposnse after some time. Repeat that with three stations(satelites).. Using a simple formula v=s/t.. you get three diameters and a place they intersect is the place you are... Repeat that proce... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why have Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter during the past year gone from chronological newsfeeds to “customized” newsfeeds? | [
"[Filter bubbles](_URL_0_), by encouraging you to engage only with content you already engage with regularly, maximize engagement with their services and thus shareholder value and ad revenue. It also \"sanitizes\" the content, since censoring controversial or offensive content is taken as part of the tailoring, so... | [
"Facebook's news feed used to be handled by humans, who to the best of their ability checked the validity. A few months back they switched to bots (basically specific software), and fake news started leaking through almost immediately."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does the Home Owners Association (or HOA) Function? | [
"The idea behind a HOA is to get the neighborhood working together for their own benefit. A lot of things is shared between the owners of a neighborhood such as parking spaces, sidewalks, fences or even walls and roofs. The HOA is the owners who join together to maintain these things. They also might help each othe... | [
"The Board of Directors hires and fires all Executive Officers. The Board of Directors is elected by the Shareholders."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does Netflix make money/earn a profit off of Netflix Original TV and Films? | [
"The same way any channel makes money by producing shows. They produce something because they want you to subscribe to their channel. They license stuff out based on the show. They make a dvd and blu ray of the season. They sell it to syndication on cable channels. If it's not fantasy stuff like Game of Thrones th... | [
"> How does Netflix make money? They charge people for their service. > It can't be just from subscriptions can it? Yes it can. > Aren't they in debt? No. They pulled in over $11B in revenue last quarter."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do some games run on a mac but not on linux if both are unix based os. | [
"They're not UNIX-*based*, they're UNIX-*like*. MacOS is based on FreeBSD, which i a very different operating system than Linux. Furthermore, MacOS has it's own *completely* custom GUI and graphics APIs than Linux does. Only the very, very basic components of a game would be easy to port over."
] | [
"Is this going to make it possible to play PC games on other Linux Distros??? I mean if it's linux, couldn't the same ability to play PC games be implemented into Mint or Ubuntu Linux?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
When copying files from one device to another, why does the transfer speed slowly decrease over time? | [
"Your computer can only create and allocate files on a device just *so* fast, so if you have lots of little files there will be a lot of overhead of creating the files themselves (naming, extension, permissions, all that) on the destination drive. You will see a speed increase if you're copying larger files (compar... | [
"Computer status bars are based on how many tasks the computer must finish before moving on to the next one. So say there are 5 different tasks. If it finishes the first one, which took 30 seconds, it would report the operation as 20% complete. However, if the second task takes 3 hours, then it will be much longer ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why can't U.S. citizens 'veto' an election? | [
"The candidates are who they are because the American public voted for them. The time to decide who are candidates will be has long passed."
] | [
"How would the president conduct a hostile takeover without the military? Also a takeover of what?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do humans find eyeless or pitch black eyes scary/unsettling? | [
"It's called The [Uncanny Valley](_URL_0_), and it's not limited to eyes. Basically, the closer something gets to looking human, the more we can sympathise with it - until it gets to be about 95%-99% human. Then it *freaks us the hell out*. Basically if something is just a bit... off. Eyes may have the additional ... | [
"The general consensus among psychologists is that because clowns typically exaggerate their facial features and limbs (big mouth, big feet, big hands) as well as distort their voice, that these can be easily misinterpreted as monstrous instead of comical. The term \"coulrophobia\" means fear of clowns and is gener... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why do lakes freeze but rivers don't, in the same temperature? | [
"Water in lakes is still, so it has time to freeze. Rivers are flowing, so water is constantly moving, making freezing much more difficult."
] | [
"Because that's the definition of winter. If you're asking why the winter solstice isn't the coldest part of the year (i.e. why is winter colder than fall), it's because it takes time for the sun to warm things up, and it takes time for things to cool off. So just like why the hottest part of the day is a few hours... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can’t we capitalize numbers like how we capitalize letters? | [
"We do; we just stopped mostly using the “lowercase” numerals. [This](_URL_0_) is what numerals used to look like. Some typefaces still provide such “old-style numerals” or “text figures” instead of or in addition to the newer “lining figures”."
] | [
"To be fair, we don't have a universally standardized way of writing English in English speaking countries."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How/ can people be sentenced to multiple 'life-sentences' in prison? | [
"People are given a sentence for each charge they are guilty of. If you commit 4 murders you can be sentenced to 4 separate life sentences. It's largely redundant but allows prosecutors to stack charges against people and allow justice in each of the cases of the criminals victim."
] | [
"Concurrently means you serve them at the same time. I.e two 12 year sentences served concurrently would still be 12 years total whereas consecutively would be one sentence after the other I.e 24 years."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
What's the biological purpose of males getting sleepy after ejaculation? | [
"It's about pair bonding. If you fall asleep next to your partner you are likely to wake up next to them. It's to promote bonding."
] | [
"Probably because of the refractory period - a period at which the body \"rests\" after climax. No one knows for sure why such a period exists for men, but a leading theory is that after orgasm, there is an increase in the chemical prolactin. Prolactin inhibits another chemical, dopamine. Dopamine is responsible fo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Psychology:"
} |
How did Dubai become so rich and prosperous so "quickly" | [
"First they discovered oil, then they started selling oil. Then they formed the UAE and aligned with the western world rather than the lunatic dictators in the middle east. they also arranged their city in such a way that made it very attractive for foreigners to do business/live there. tldr: oil"
] | [
"Not everyone in Dubai is rich. There are far more millionaires in London or New York. The average income is high for a developing country but lower than the following countries, for example: * Australia * Austria * Canada * Netherlands * Germany * Sweden * USA Would you say everyone in those countries is \"so rich... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it when you put room temperature items in a refridgerator, does it seem to make the other items inside less cold over time until everything has cooled down tothe same temperature? Or is this all in my head? (explanation in text) | [
"Technically, things can't give or take \"cold\" from objects, they only give or take heat. Cold is simply the word to describe when something is colder than another thing (usually our hand). Cold objects actually still have a lot of heat in them. But anyways, a mini fridge doesn't have very much power, so it takes... | [
"It doesn't, it stays edible. Once it's frozen it's no longer \"fresh\". To answer the question of why does food stay edible for longer when frozen, because bacteria have a harder time growing in sub-zero environments."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Food Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Food Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why have they not started issuing social security cards in plastic form like the DMV does with drivers licenses? | [
"Oh god somebody please answer this. I never understood using that damn piece of paper as an item for your I-9 verification. It looks like something a half baked forger can copy."
] | [
"social security cards, also, depending on where you live, lots of people get state issued photo ids at 15 or 16, when they get a learners permit and drivers license."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How do some people sleep with their eyes open? | [
"You do not want to learn. I have this, and it's a disease. I have no control over it. I don't even have it severely and have to put a jelly paste in my eyes multiple times a night which is also a pain in the ass in the morning. If I don't put the paste in my eyes I wake up with a horrible burning sensation from my... | [
"Because it's creepy when they just stare blankly at the ceiling. With closed eyes they look like they're sleeping at least."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Who is a bigger drag on healthcare premiums: The uninsured or the insured sick? | [
"both? neither? In the US you're going to struggle to find someone who actually turns away a person in need of healthcare, even if they're uninsured. They will go the the ER, the ER will process them, and try to bill them for whatever they can. In light of the fact that this uninsured person can't afford insurance,... | [
"It increases the costs for the hospital, and they pass that cost (usually) onto insured people. So since most tax payers are insured people, they pay for the cost by increased insurance premiums."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Finance:"
} |
I understand that in most criminal gangs the leader gets to the top by being ruthless and fearless but it would seem that in mexico regarding the cartels that there would be no shortage of machete wielding psychos to take top spot,so how do these people make it to be the boss of these cartels ? | [
"Really, really depends on the cartel. A lot of the time it's smarts. Who's the man with the plan? Who knows all of the best ways to do things. More often than that it's status and networking. Some of these cartels are made up of military and police defectors. Rank carries over. Other times its who knows who: who h... | [
"Lets say you managed to cobble together a conspiracy with other disgruntled servants to kill or overthrow the king and then lets say you actually got away with it even though he is insanely rich and has all of the best warriors, spys, intelligence agents, etc, etc. Everything goes according to plan flawlessly. Wel... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about History:"
} |
What's the legitimate purpose of a water tower? | [
"It regulates water pressure for an entire area with a single control, by using gravity to create water pressure. You fill up the water tower, and the water coming out of the tower is under pressure from the weight of the water above it. Otherwise you would need to have a pump that keeps the pressure up, and it wou... | [
"They don't; you're thinking of a different kind of battery."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What gives a person their own unique tone or pitch in their voice, and why are men and women voices so vastly different? | [
"There are actually quite a few factors. The larynx is the primary organ in vocalizing. It's where the vocal chords are located, and different shapes will result in different tones. Men tend to have a larger larynx with longer vocal chords, giving them a deeper voice than women. In addition to the larynx, the shape... | [
"Because, it does not sound like the voice that they hear when the speak. When we speak, we pick up the sound of our voice from two sources: the air and conducted through our jaw bones to our ears. But, recordings only pick up the first source. So when you hear your voice in play back, it sounds close enough to wha... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the text about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the text about Language and Communication:"
} |
How is it legal for a Greyhound bus to allow people to stand up in the middle of the aisle going 65 on the highway when seatbelt laws are so enforced? | [
"[The answer to your question](_URL_0_), and [a story from a kid inside a flipping bus](_URL_1_)."
] | [
"Seatbelts in cars prevent you from flying out the windshield. For the most part, buses are one of the biggest vehicles on the road. A car smashes into a bus, the bus will not be flinging people out. It's the car's passengers you'd worry about... There are buses with seatbelts though, like Greyhound buses and tour ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If Ant Man just shrinks but stays the same mass, how come when he runs on a bad guys weapon it doesn't tilt forward with 150lbs pressing down? | [
"OH SHIT! YOU SIR, youuuuuuuuuuuuu should not say such things if I were you...that is uhhh....very observant of you...does he stay the same mass? So he's just more dense....I feel like that opens a HUGE can of worms for this scientifically...oh well comics, super heroes, what you gonna do"
] | [
"How hard can you press? Because it's probably not as hard as the pressure from the expanding gases that are what propel the bullet. It'll be over 50 000 PSI, So unless you can press down with a force of a few thousand pounds, either your arm is going backwards, or that rock is going forwards enough for the gas to ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
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