query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1
value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Why is the Holocaust remembered as such a tragedy, while the Japanese invasion of China (with similar casualties) is almost forgotten? | [
"I live in China currently and it is a really big deal here. They will never forget."
] | [
"Turkey denies the Armenian genocide occurred. Turkey has historically been a very important ally to the west, controlling the strategically important access to the Black Sea, and being a more moderate liaison to the Middle East. Armenia, on the other hand, is not of particular strategic importance. So politically,... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How did Enigma cracking machine know it cracked Enigma? | [
"There was known plaintext it was trying to match against. I seem to remember they used weather reports which were broadcast each day in the morning, and always had the same initial letters. Once you crack the settings for that one, you could then decode all the messages sent the same day (until they change the cod... | [
"Enigma encrypted a ton of messages that he used to help decrypt it. The more encrypted messages you have, the easier it is to break a code. Plus, we had the encryption device used to generate the codes. Kryptos is a single puzzle, not meant for communication."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do Americans always cheer when they hear their hometown/state? | [
"Psychological tribalism. You associate with a group, so attention paid to that group can be seen as attention paid to you. You may not have strong association with your city/state, but what about your local/favorite sports team? If a comedian did a set on the same day a local team was playing, wouldn't he immediat... | [
"It's a great way to divide people. Really stir up their emotions and get us hating each other. Same reason that one dumb white bitch who said she shouldn't get a DUI because she was a cleans Thoroughbred white girl was on the news for several days."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why does building a robot like the mars rover cost so much money? | [
"Are you talking about the Curiosity rover that is said to have cost $2.5 billion? If so, some clarification might be warranted. NASA spread the $2.5 billion figure over eight years. The money spent went into salaries of engineers, programmers, managers, and independent contractors in over twenty states across the ... | [
"It costs $10000 to launch a pound of payload into space. You do the math."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What's the difference between Meth and Adderall? | [
"[Aderall](_URL_0_) is a mix of different types of amphetamine salts and methamphetamine is another type of amphetamine (not present in Aderall). There is a difference in their chemical structure and how fast they work. What's in Aderall works a *lot* slower than methamphetamine which has a way of fastly working it... | [
"Adding to the question. Why do people do this while on ecstasy, cocaine, adderall, etc.?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't we use physical tests to detect mental illness? | [
"We don't understand the brain nearly as well as we understand the circulatory system, though for some mental illnesses we are starting to be able to detect them with brain imaging technology. For instance, Schizophrenia. _URL_0_"
] | [
"I don't think we understand the functioning of the brain well enough to be able to pinpoint the biological bases of individual beliefs and their changes."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Healthcare:",
"pos": "Represent the answer about Healthcare:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What makes the japanese market so different from the western one? Why japan has all these special edition albums, games, mangas, electronics, gadgets that are never released elsewhere? | [
"High import taxes force them to produce their own version for domestic market only. Plus, despite their efforts, they're fairly English illiterate so internationalized marketing doesn't work quite well there and needs to be localized heavily. Being a cultural galapagos also means they have unique tastes and demand... | [
"Music albums are a lot more expensive in Japan than in the U.S. So to entice buyers, they add the bonus tracks. This also attracts buyers outside of Japan. Back in the days of vinyl, before CDs, \"Japanese pressings\" were of higher quality than American records, so enthusiasts would favor them. These days CDs ar... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What makes debts you owe be removed / halved in what you originally owe from Debt Collectors? | [
"Often times the original company you owe the money to, sells the debt for less than the original and writes it off as a business loss. For some businesses this is a better choice then spending money trying to collect the debt from you. The company that buys it will try and get you to pay them more than what they p... | [
"Whoever those bills are owed to, as the corporation does not have to pay them, so the debtors are shit outta luck on recouping that money."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What are trust funds and how do they work? | [
"Basically money that someone invests for some specific purpose or persons. A rich dude will create a trust for his 3 kids, or a scholarship fund, or charity or something... the trust will then have rules on how it may be invested, and how much will be paid out, when and to who. Many trust funds are set up to avo... | [
"Without going into a lot of detail, the primary differences have to do with how taxes, ownership and liability are handled. Because different organizations want to handle those things differently, different business structures are available to them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why do certain "noises" (i.e., a fingernail scratching a chalkboard) irritate us so much? | [
"Certain sounds at particular frequencies are very unpleasant to the human ear, the sound of that falls into that range. However it isn't something that effects all humans the same, some tolerate the sound more so than others or are not bothered by it at all. I fall into the category of not being bothered by it at ... | [
"Because a lot of noise consistently can have the same effect as white noise, which can moderate intermittent noise levels and provide a consistent backdrop, allowing you to sleep. If the tiniest noise is coming intermittently and is not otherwise drowned out, that shit will keep grabbing your attention and will w... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Sleep and boredom:"
} |
What is the purpose of electric motion detecting hand towel dispensers in public restrooms when we have cheap, mechanical, spring loaded dispensers which have no circuitry and always work? | [
"It's a hygiene thing too, I think. It means you don't have to touch the handle on the towel dispenser, which might conceivably be contaminated with someone else's fecal matter."
] | [
"New air dryers (like the dyson air blade) are more environmentally friendly than paper towels. Older dryers might not be, because they use more power."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Why are programs allowed to use 100% CPU ? | [
"We bought the CPU to be used, not to sit idle. If one program wants all of the CPU and no other programs want any, why would the program that wants it not be given it? The CPU doesn't have inertia. If someone else comes along and asks for CPU, it can be taken away from the first process in a tiny fraction of a sec... | [
"It doesn't. Its stored the same in memory. Its up to the code that interprets the 65 to know that its an A."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
why do bombs and missiles explode in the air above their target? Instead of hitting the ground/target and exploding? | [
"With a ground burst, a lot of the explosion energy is used up by the ground/material very close to the explosion center. An air burst can cause damage over a larger area, but causes less destruction at the explosion site than a ground burst. It becomes a question of strategy. Does the attacker desire to damage an... | [
"They could shoot it down before it reaches a high-population area, thus minimizing casualties. They aren't there to save the people on the plane."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Besides cannabis, are there any objects that naturally contain THC? | [
"Almost all living multicellular organisms produce THC as a part of the regulation of the metabolism. THC receptors are also present in all of these organisms. Species as different as the simple nematode and the mighty redwood tree all have THC receptors, and produce THC as part of their normal metabolic cycle. Thi... | [
"I'm just guessing but it could be related to some activity in one of the Many cannabinoid receptors which are known to be able to send people into awesome fits of laughter when exposed to oral or smoked cannabis. Interesting question I must say"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do people puke when they over-exert themselves? | [
"It's a derivative of the flight-or-fight response. When you are exercising your sympathetic nervous system starts to take over the same if you were really scared. This makes sense from an evolutionary stand point, any time you would have been running you would have been in danger. The sympathetic system diverts en... | [
"Why do the glands in my neck burn like high hell when I'm holding back tears?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
The Russian military's current capabilities | [
"In terms of what? They are (arguably) the second most powerful nation on earth. WAY behind the US of course but still significantly powerful. The real trouble is that they are fully geared up to fight wars of 40 years ago.. They have lots of tanks, aircraft and ships but not much by way of stealth abilities (more... | [
"Continental landmass running out. Military bases and the ability to continue using them through territorys instead of states."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do G force suits work? | [
"The compress the body in an attempt to keep the blood from leaving your head, which is what causes blackouts at high Gs."
] | [
"That's exactly how car insurance works. Can you clarify your question?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does fostering kids work? | [
"You sign up. Social services does some routine investigations to qualify or disqualify you. Then then place a child with you...and you get a monthly stipend of $600-800/mo plus some amount of foodstamps to feed the kid. Theres a caseworker assigned to you that has waaay too many foster kids to pay proper attentio... | [
"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:"
} |
The different "grades" of gas, and how much it really matters. | [
"The short version: Use whatever grade your called for in your car's owner's manual. Using a higher octane than required will typically result in no benefit or even a slight negative impact, but using a lower rating that specified can cause performance issues and engine damage. All the rating actually indicates is ... | [
"High quality gas has detergents in it that can improve performance and engine lifespan. Low quality gas has poorer quality control and can lead to poor performance. Whether advertiser's claims match up to these, that's anyone's guess. But it is not impossible for one brand of gasoline to be better than another."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why did they need to close the airspace over Sydney because of the current hostage situation? | [
"It happens all the time during critical incidents. Usually the goal is to keep media aircraft back so they do not interfere with law enforcement operations."
] | [
"It's still going on but isn't getting the same level of attention is was a few years back. According to the news, they've moved on to Iranian vessels."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
What are the potential health risks to humans of pervasive plastic contamination? | [
"Plastic filaments and particles can interact with receptors on the outside of cells, and can freely enter cells by moving through the fatty cell membrane to disrupt processes inside the cell. The downstream effects are poorly understood, and could be anything from nothing, to interfering with hormone cycles and me... | [
"One issue would be the large amount of pathogens (germs) in sewage. You would be very likely to get sick if any sewage touched one of your mucus membranes, such as your mouth, eyes, and nose. However, the much more immediate concern would be sewer gas. This contains, among others, the poisonous gases methane, hydr... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Health:"
} |
Why is stock only traded 6hrs/day, 30hrs/week? | [
"In general, limited hours help the market remain stable."
] | [
"Most brokers charge 6.99-9.99 in the U.S per trade. Even if trades were free, the chances that you could double your money in one day is slim to none Add-on: If you had $30, bought 4 XYZ shares at $5 + 7.99 (broker fee). Let's say XYZ had a really good day and popped 10%. Your shares are worth $5.50 each, $22 tota... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Finance:"
} |
do workout supplements (such as pre-workout that claims to increase the ability of your blood to deliver oxygen to muscles) actually work, and if so what actually happens to your body? | [
"Somewhat. They work by increasing levels of nitric oxide in the body, which regulates blood pressure by relaxing the blood vessels. You can't supplement nitric oxide directly, but two amino acids, L-arginine and L-citrulline, cause the body to produce it. While L-arginine is a popular product, it is poorly absorbe... | [
"Cardio vascular is how well your body distributes blood with oxygen to your muscles and endurance is how much work your muscles can do before failing."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What causes stains to become permanent? | [
"Color compounds are usually fairly large molecules, and the fabrics in your clothes are made of even larger polymer chains. Big molecules like this can interact [non-covalently](_URL_0_) (so no chemical bonds, just atoms sticking to each other through Van der Waals forces, charge groups, and other weak forces). No... | [
"They pick up dirt and debris, causing them to appear dark."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
If sound is typically vibration travelling through air, how can I hear someone through a wall. | [
"Wall vibrates too, but less than air, then transers the vibrations to air around you Edit: grammar"
] | [
"Photons, not protons, are the carrier of light. Sound waves are mechanical pressure waves through some medium. For instance, air, or metal. You are essentially registering a vibration through the material."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does bacon sometimes get that green shimmer? | [
"Are you talking the same [shimmering color sometimes seen on roast beef?](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"It's usually all in your mind. Although, years ago some aluminum cans had no coating on them so they could definitely have a bit of a metallic taste to them."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do we pronounce "colonel" as "curnel/kernal?" | [
"The same reason we in Britain pronounce \"Lieutenant\" as \"Leftenant\". That's the way the word was said when we stole it off the French."
] | [
"It's not technically pronounced \"winds-day,\" it's pronounced \"wends-day\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Karl Marx's Manifesto | [
"The communist manifesto was a short pamphlet authored by Marx and his colleague Friedrich Engels. It briefly summarized key concepts of communism, outlined the differences between communism and socialism, and pointed out the flaws with contemporary capitalist societies. The most important ideas put forth by the ma... | [
"The Art of War in the Western World - Archer Jones"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about Education:"
} |
Why is it that people from the United States call themselves American when they aren't the only country located on the north and south continents? | [
"Because United Statesian sounds stupid. It's really the only logical and easy shortening."
] | [
"It's not the same thing. England is a country. The United Kingdom is a country made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. Britain and Great Britain is the island on which England, Scotland and Wales is on. You've basically asked the equivalent of asking an American why the US has so many different n... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Geography:"
} |
Why am I "Innocent until proven guilty in a court of law", but only found "not guilty" and not "innocent"? | [
"You (and your lawyer) are under no obligation to prove your innocence, nor your \"not-guilty mess.\" The onus (burden) is on the prosecution to prove that you are guilty, and your job is to refute their accusations and show, if possible, that they can't be true. That's what presumption of innocence means. If nobod... | [
"Jail is temporary for arrested, not guilt. Prison is for convicted guilty. Because you have a right to be treated as innocent until proven guilty."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is reading good for the brain? | [
"I can think of two important reasons. First reading and comprehension increases vocabulary and your understanding of language. Second is what you learn from the material. Even fiction can train your brain to make connections or think in ways that you hadn't before."
] | [
"What source says that alcohol is bad for your teeth?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What is revisionist history and why is it bad? | [
"Revisionist history is when somebody has an idea he or she wants to support and then goes back and reinterprets historical events to create that support, sometimes interpreting events to mean the opposite of what an objective analysis would conclude."
] | [
"There is no such thing as guilt by association in the USA."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Law and Entertainment:"
} |
Why do we call Earths moon "The Moon", when every other moon in the solar system have their own separate name? | [
"We started calling it the moon before we had discovered what a moon really was, or that other planets had their own moons."
] | [
"All names, and names of places, begin with capitals. \"The cat is called Bill\" \"The ship was called Titanic\". \"My favourite city is London\" \"We might one day fly to Mars\". Our planet has the name \"Earth\" - with capital \"E\". Although people often use the term \"the world\" to describe our planet, \"... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why and how is the middle east in such chaos in the past decades? | [
"Put simply, at some point the western powers carved out Middle East into several countries without asking the actual people living there. This created issue as suddenly tribe A and tribe B are national brothers even though they don't get along well in the first place, causing issues like egoistic corruption and la... | [
"Going back in time and preventing the Libyan Revolution is probably the only way to create peace within the next decade."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why is it my jaw (below the ear) hurts after I blow up a balloon that's tough to inflate? | [
"The eustachian tube is what is hurting; it was stretched by the air pressure used to inflate the balloon, and is sore. The reason it feels like it is coming from your jaw below the ear, is a phenomenon called *referred pain*. The same nerve branch that brings pain signals to your brain from your jaw, there, is th... | [
"Those things have holes in them for the air to escape. So they have to replace the air that is lost. Why are there holes? Think of a balloon, if you slam a balloon against the wall (analogy for kids jumping on castle) the balloon will burst. But if the balloon is not tied, when you slam it the air will escape and... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How did Seth Bling manage this code injection in Super Mario World? | [
"This is a really dumbed down explanation, compared to the other answers. The live memory in older video games (like the NES) is very simple. Think of it like 10 boxes, the first one is your score, the second is your current level, third one is your lives, and so on. Now, let's say the maximum score was 999. Seth m... | [
"How in the fuck did you test this?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is it Creationists disbelieve in evolution? More so, is there something in the bible that disputes evolution? Could God not have "created" evolution? | [
"If one believes in a literal interpretation of the Bible, then there's really no room for evolution. It is certainly possible to believe in evolution and God, if you don't take a literal view of Genesis. The theory of evolution involves random mutations that were beneficial and therefore bred true in offspring. So... | [
"Intelligent Design is just creationism with the serial number filed off. The way it's framed is a deliberate attempt to take Christian Biblical Creationism and make it sound \"scientific\" by removing explicit mentions of JHWH, but strongly implying that he's the only one that could have \"designed\" things."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are the republican/democrat debates called debates? There's hardly any debating going on. | [
"They're mostly called debates to lend some gravitas to the situation. What they are these days, however, is joint press conferences. It would be nice to have actual debates, but that would require politicians who are willing and able to think on their feet, and argue in defense of a position, rather than requiring... | [
"Caucuses in general are held so that the Democrats and Republicans can nominate who they want to be president. The person who wins the most caucuses wins the right to run under their party's banner; they are said to be the Democratic/Republican nominee for president.. That's why we don't have more than one contend... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
How come I'm not related to people that have the same last name as me? | [
"Last names didn't always exist. So when they did start existing, sometimes unrelated people chose the same last name. (It's also been long enough since the development of last names that you might be related really far back.)"
] | [
"\"That's an old person name, I know an old lady at my work who is named that it's so icky\" or \"Haha gross I can't name my kid after my dad\" \"Haha gross I can't name my daughter after my gramma\" \"Oh man, wouldn't it be great to name my child after a relative I barely know to honor who they are as a person?\" ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If you melt a penny or rip up a dollar, are you combating inflation, since that cash is no longer in circulation? or is inflation less straightforward? | [
"Yes, you are combatting inflation, but the amount of new currency that is added to the economy everyday is so massive that unless you were to orchestrate a huge money burn, you couldn’t make any sort of difference"
] | [
"Inflation is or can be a symptom of an increase in the money supply. Hence inflation. You can also think of the number of dollars it takes to buy something \"inflating\"."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
I've read that quantum computers can easily break all our current security protocols. How do they do this? | [
"Quantum computers are good at following several \"paths\" to a solution at once, essentially doing calculations in parallel rather than sequentially. One of the applications for this quantum superposition simultaneous search power is finding prime numbers, which is normally super difficult: if you want to find out... | [
"As far as I know, RSA Encryption is based on the sequence of prime numbers. It can be decrypted, but it takes a very long time, and so far, no one has been able to find an automated way to do it. The occurrence of prime numbers is irregular and so far there has been no pattern, so it is an easy way to encrypt info... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Mathematics:"
} |
Why is it called the "Democratic People's Republic of Korea" when it's not a democracy or a republic? | [
"Your mum wants to get you to eat some food you don't like, so instead of just calling it cabbage, she calls it delicious super tasty munchy fun time. But the cabbage is severe famine and human rights violations."
] | [
"Socialism and communism are very closely linked -- in fact, socialism is a stepping-stone on the road to communism. The party that ran the USSR was the Communist Party. You shouldn't pay too much attention to names, though. The official title of North Korea is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and \"democ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does a computer screen work? | [
"Your monitor has a grid of tiny little boxes called pixels (short for picture element). Each one of these can be controlled independently to display a certain color and brightness. Your computer figures out how to draw your screen by filling in each pixel and sending that information to the monitor. It does this u... | [
"Are you asking how a wheel works ?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How come the suit (pants, shirt, jacket, tie) became the norm for formal dressing everywhere and not something else? | [
"After the French Revolution western men (including American men) rapidly abandoned the frilly flamboyant fashion characteristic of the Rococo era and adapted a much more conservative fashion of England. The modern suit was developed in the 19th century by an Englishman named [Beau Brummell](_URL_0_). He wore well ... | [
"There are lots of kinds of suits. One type of suit is called a Tuxedo. The Tuxedo is characterized by colored or black flat lapels that don't connect, bow ties, a waistcoat/low cut vest, trousers with a stripe down the side that match the lapels, diagonal buttons and a handkerchief in the pocket. The Tuxedo is the... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Student Loan Default and its consequences? | [
"Look, man, pay your student loans. If you can only afford $5 a month, send them $5 each and every month to stay current. At some point, they will want income verification, but if you keep sending them whatever you can afford you won't go into default. Even though they are not calling you every day, they still wan... | [
"1. Make poor people poorer 2. Make rich people richer 3. ???? 4. PROFIT"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why do many companies nowadays see tattoos as being "unprofessional"? | [
"Because in much of modern history the people with tattoos have been people very often associated with unsavory organizations, crime, and violence. I think you can understand why companies wishing to present a professional and safe environment would shy away from hiring those with tattoos. That general attitude has... | [
"> Why do you think they ask us to put those things in resume? Because they are going to use them to make hiring decisions. They want attractive people who are the age range they desire, from parents of the proper educational level, etc. Not discriminating based on appearance, family history, etc. is a more Western... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Sleep deprivation - If you have a sleepless night and then proceed to get the recommended 7.5 hours of sleep the following days, for how long will you be in a sleep deprivation? | [
"We just talked about this in my psychology class today. There's a case study about this guy who, as a high school student, wanted to break the record of longest number of days without sleep (which was 11 days at the time). He made it 12 days, probably with some \"micro sleeps\" here and there. He suffered all kind... | [
"Most likely, yes. Your sleep cycle is divided into parts like deep sleep and REM, and you go through several such cycles every night during a normal eight-hour rest. Now, if your three-hour rest was interrupted halfway through a cycle, that can be very disruptive. But as long as you are able to get a high quality ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is cheese such a big deal to the French? | [
"Back before refrigeration, food either went bad or had to be preserved somehow. Meat and milk would quickly go bad. France is known for its sauces as a way to cover up the rancid meat. Cheese was a way to preserve milk so it wouldn't spoil as quickly."
] | [
"If you think treatment of animals is bad in China, you have to seriously look at the treatment of people in The Republic Of China."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
instead of fighting green energy, why don't coal and gas companies invest in it? | [
"Energy companies HAVE invested in 'green energy' and are doing so right now. However, the necessary capital to get green energy is too much and the profit margins from them are too slim. The main reasons Green Energy is attempted at the moment is due to the government forcing it and also the publicity these compan... | [
"Because lobbying. The companies pay people lots of money to convince politicians that it's in their best interests to give taxpayer money to petrochemical companies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What exactly is sous-vide? Isn't it just boiling the food? | [
"Here's how it works. You wrap your food in plastic and put it in a water bath set to a precise temperature. It turns out that for protein foods, it's not how long they cook that determines how done they are, but the maximum temperature reached. So sous-vide lets you control precisely whether a steak is rare, mediu... | [
"All the muscle fibers dry out and stiffen, leaving the steak tough. The juices (blood, fat and seasonings) boil away, leaving it tasteless. It's like burning a pizza, only worse, because a cow didn't give its life so you could eat tender juicy pizza. Ordering a steak well-done makes you look like you don't know an... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are some medications race-based? | [
"There's sufficient genetic difference between various human races to create different reactions to certain drugs, or increase the possibility of certain reactions in certain races. An example of one such difference is a genetic switch in some Asians that floors them completely when they have one drink because the... | [
"Different side effects. Different strengths. Different durations of effectiveness. Different costs. Different amounts of government paperwork in some cases."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
How does Publix (a grocery chain in the SE United States) make a profit when they offer so many buy one-get one (BOGO) deals? | [
"The store doesn't fund those sales - the manufacturer does. The manufacturer then uses this marketing expense as a tax write-off. Source: used to work in the industry."
] | [
"I work for a small company that owns and operates 9 different grocery stores. We have several main vendors that we use for the majority of our products. They give us rebates for putting different things for sale. And their orders/discounts come straight from the producers (Proctor & Gamble or Nestle or whoever) so... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do many large companies lease their office/retail space instead of owning it? | [
"There are a couple of reasons I can think of. 1. A lease is nearly a 100% write off as it is an expense. If a company gets a loan on the building only the interest would be a write off. 2. Buying a building with cash locks in a lot of capital to a single asset. Capital that could be used for other ways of increasi... | [
"Business owners just pay rent for the building space (very rarely they might have ownership in the mall but that's not common). So if the mall closes they close too, simple as that in most cases. Employees and owner need to find something else to do."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If Muhammad was "just" a prophet, then why do Muslims treat his persona at a level above what modern Christians treat Jesus Christ? | [
"Muhammad is considered by Muslims to be the final prophet in a long like of prophets beginning with the roots of Judaism, moving through Christianity and ending with the final updates from the Almighty coming through Muhammad. Muslims view Jesus much like how Christianity views Jewish prophets like Moses or Elijah... | [
"From a Christian: Yes, our gods come from the same cultural origin (Abraham). What differs is out ideas of His manifestation. Christians believe in a personal God who sent his own son in human form, etc, you've heard the story. Islam and Judaism disregards Jesus as the son of God. Islam regards him as a prophet l... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do we clap for celebration? | [
"The truth is ... we did not evolve from apes. We evolved from Sea Lions."
] | [
"Whistling is hard. Collective screaming is chaotic. Clapping seems to be the best option for compliments. Or sarcasm if you do it in slo-mo."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How do you "get" depression? Do things that make life miserable alter the chemicals in our brains, are certain people more likely to be depressed? | [
"I'm afraid that there's no really satisfying answer to this. The brain is incredibly hard to study, for a variety of reasons -- you can't just go poking around in it at will, you can't raise human beings in ideal experimental conditions because it's cruel, studies on animals will never take into account the comple... | [
"Mental disorders can happen for (edit: at least) two reasons. They can happen naturally or be created. From the natural standpoint, it's because people's brains are different. One brain might make too much of some hormone and get an anxiety disorder. Another brain doesn't make too much of the hormone. Anxiety dis... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
How can people function on only a few hours of sleep? | [
"As the short-tempered, sleep-deprived parent of a new 10-week-old, I am honestly not sure it is possible to function on only a few hours sleep."
] | [
"If you're not tired, and you feel refreshed when you wake up, you are probably OK. Not everyone needs the same amount of sleep."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Health:"
} |
Why is general anaesthesia so common for wisdom teeth removal, if it isn't necessary? | [
"It varies from patient to patient. But the general rule is to try and avoid exposure to general anesthesia for ~~unnecessary~~ procedures *that do not really need GA*. It is advised to remove wisdom teeth one at a time under local anesthesia (several weeks to months apart) instead of removing them all at once whic... | [
"Some do, but dental work is rarely urgent. Doctors can prescribe painkillers, but once the damage is done, it usually isn't going to be worse, so treatment doesn't have to occur in and ER visit timeframe."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Healthcare:"
} |
Most of my money is a number in a bank database. What is there to stop a bank artificially inflating someone's number? | [
"It is not just 1 number, it's the sum of a transaction history that is cross-referenced to the various accounts that put money in or took it out of your account. If you just made one number bigger, the whole thing wouldn't balance and that would be picked up by the auditors/accountants."
] | [
"Yes. For several reasons. One reason being, that a bank franchise has many buildings - and just one building has been emptied out. Far more importantly though, a bank robber can only steal the bank's physical money. But these days banks typically do not have a lot of actually money at hand. The overwhelming majori... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Technology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Technology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about Technology:"
} |
How can people with Down's Syndrome donate blood | [
"Red blood cells do not have a nucleus, and therefore no DNA. Assuming that there is not a separate mutation/issue that impacts RBC production, their red blood cells would be normal. Not sure about other blood products."
] | [
"Because those facial features are a symptom of Down's Syndrome."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about biology:"
} |
Why is Morrissey so popular amongst Latinos? | [
"Latino here, In my opinion Morrissey's style of singing is very similar to Mariachi style, including song lyrics and such. Having grown up with maricahi music, listening to Morrissey just feels very similar."
] | [
"Are you saying we should be more racist towards cats?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
What do physicists mean when they say space is curved? | [
"Because spacetime behaves like it's curved by the presence of mass and energy. What does curvature mean? Let's say we have two points and we draw a straight line between them. Now let's say we want to increase the length of the line while keeping the endpoints fixed. How do we do that? We curve it so that it's no ... | [
"It's hard to ELI5 for cosmology! Space time is special. It's not made of touchable stuff, and it's not made of energy like light or heat. It does spread out or clump together based on how much energy and stuff there is in certain places. Space time is its own special thing which is why it's difficult to compare it... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Physics:"
} |
Why do problems and stresses that don't seem like a big deal during the day suddenly seem life threatening and world ending when you wake up at 2:30 AM? | [
"I'm not sure what 'stresses' you are taking about, but I'm going to take a guess at what you mean and work from there. You are at your most vulnerable when you are asleep. You are effectively unconscious and many of your senses are non-responsive or at least sort of 'muted' as it were. This means that when you wa... | [
"Your easiest path is to go to bed at 5 as normal, set an alarm for 7, get up, have a horrible day where everything looks gray and you have a killer headache, and go to bed at 9 or 10 PM."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Sleep and its effects on the body:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why do we just "click" with some people? | [
"Because our personalities relate in some manner. I figured this out by looking into it and wondering my friends were my friends. It really just came down to being weird, funny, spontaneous, talkitive and stuff like that. My brain just likes these people and gets a 'high' off of them. Sorta like a drug"
] | [
"A follow-up question: Why do some people love that feeling while others detest it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are mathematicians and astronomers able to predict solar and lunar eclipses thousands of years in advance? | [
"Because it's simply a math problem involving physics equations. Consider a math problem from your school text book where there are a pair of train tracks leading from Chicago to St. Louis which is 250 miles away. A train leave Chicago at noon going at 50 mph while at the same time a train leaves St. Louis travelin... | [
"Well, we aren't observing the present universe. The farther out we look, the farther back in time we see because it's taken the light that long to reach us. When astronomers look at a galaxy 13 billion light years away, they're seeing it as it was about 13 billion years ago. This also means that we have a window t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do people's voices get super deep/groggy in the mornings? | [
"I looked this up because I was curious. Basically it's gunk (phlegm?) that builds up in your throat overnight from your horizontal position, then goes away once you're upright."
] | [
"Sounds like dehydration. It can do a lot of fucked up stuff to you. Headaches for sure. Do you breathe from your mouth when you sleep? The combination of both could probably dry out your throat quite a bit overnight overnight. Maybe look into a humidifier as well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Health and Wellness:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer about Health and Wellness:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
If every blood donation is screened for HIV, why is it dangerous to let a group with a higher rate of HIV donate blood? | [
"Window period of HIV testing: this is the time between when you acquire HIV and when an HIV test becomes positive. If you donate blood between those two time points, that unit of blood may transmit HIV. Imperfect testing: the tests used to screen the blood supply for communicable diseases are very good, but not pe... | [
"If blood contains any pathogens, then yes, the person receiving that blood will likely get it. However, donated blood is screened, and considering how few people in the Western world have Ebola currently, I wouldn't worry about it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text about biology:"
} |
What is actually going on inside your body when you "get the wind knocked out of you"? | [
"Your solar plexus is a bundle of nerves. If you are hit there, the nerves are shocked for a while, and cause your diaphragm to be paralyzed. This keeps you from breathing."
] | [
"Those stars you see are caused by blood not getting where it needs to go in your eyes. Ever heard the phrase he got hit so hard he is seeing stars?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How can Libertarians oppose the militarization of police forces yet ardently support the 2nd Amendment? | [
"There is absolutely nothing at all hypocritical about the position. The difference is that police are agents of the state whose word and direction represent the will of the state. The more militarized a police force the more the state is able to control the populace. There is also NO Constitutional provision prote... | [
"If the failure goes too far, well, that's why it's important we have the 2nd amendment. No, I'm not kidding. That was one of the main reasons for the 2nd amendment to exist: a rogue government."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why don't they package soda and beer the same? Like why do we have 30 racks of beer and not soda? | [
"There *ARE* 30 packs of soda. Walmart sells them. [Here's a link for 30 cans of Diet Mt Dew](_URL_0_) If you want to see other examples you can google 30 pack of soda, thats how I found that link."
] | [
"Beer is actually. Bud light for one comes in plastic bottles. Mostly sold a concert venues for safety reasons."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why is it that I visit websites and Facebook/Google automatically know that and give me targeted ads? | [
"When you visit websites that link to pages of interest, they send your pseudo identity and your interest profile to central ad servers. When you visit another page that has an ad spot for a remarketing ad, they pull your identity and interest profile and select those ads that are best matched to you. Your pseudo... | [
"They get feedback which helps them with advertising data. Also a lot of times they put you on some list for receiving emails."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do flies keep on landing on the same spot after scaring them away | [
"Because they have very limited mental capacity. They are like a very primitive computer programm. Find food source. Avoid fast moving thing on collision course. Breed. They can't process that there is an entity that doesn't want them to come to a certain spot."
] | [
"I'm in pest control and I always enjoy the fact that people are disgusted by roaches. It's humorous to me since roaches are disgusted by us. If you touch one it will run away and start cleaning the oil from your skin off of itself."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Was there ever a "wood age"?What do we know about wooden(and other perishable) tools? | [
"No, there was never a point in human history where we could use wooden tools but not stone tools. The \"stone age\" is just a term used to describe when we used tools that were naturally occurring. We used fire hardened spears and flint knapped with stone. Edit- Flint knapping not flint mapping."
] | [
"When it became easy and cheap to manufacture nails (by cutting from a roll of wire and mechanically flattening one side). If you need to hammer them out into shape by hand, this will take time and cost money, so it was mostly used for high-tension connections that didn't have much wood to work with (wooden nail an... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are death row inmates housed separately? | [
"People care less about obeying rules when they are about to die. At this point what do they have to lose? Did Jerry over in cell D12 make a rude comment about your mother? Maybe Jerry should get stabbed 12 times with a sharpened tooth brush. What are the guards going to do about it? Kill you? lol!"
] | [
"There is a lengthy appeals process for death penalty cases, and lawyers are expensive. We still manage to execute an innocent person now and again."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Law and Justice:"
} |
How does the National Security Council differ from other federal agencies? | [
"The NSC is just a group of people, with other government jobs, to whom the President turns for national security advice and recommendations. They read the analysis (facts) written by experts and help the President evaluate public opinion and political factors (not facts)."
] | [
"They are not supposed to operate on US Soil. They are a part of the Executive Branch of Government and report to the President by way of the Director of National Intelligence who is in charge of All intelligence agencies."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What are transcendental equations | [
"Transcendental equations usually lack analytical solutions. But a simple way to solve them numerically is to plot both sides of the equation and look where the lines intersect. For example * tan (x) = e^x You cannot solve this analytically, but plot both functions (see link) and you'll see that solutions still exi... | [
"For that matter, what were the basic personality archetypes for children?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why do we capitalise all words except conjunctions and some prepositions in titles? | [
"Convention, at heart. It used to be that writers capitalized all letters. Then, some time passed, and they capitalized only nouns and beginnings of sentences. Then, more time passed, and they started capitalizing only proper nouns. It's gotten to the point that we only capitalize more meaningful words in general ... | [
"[Rule 16A](_URL_0_) Below are the basic rules when it comes to whether or not something is capitalized in a title: * Capitalize the title's first and last word. * Capitalize verbs, including all forms of the verb to be (is, are, was, etc.). * Capitalize all pronouns, including it, he, who, that, etc. * Capitalize ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Language and Writing:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Language and Writing:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are crickets so hard to find? | [
"It’s hard to pinpoint in on sounds that are loud enough to create an echo. Things like a smoke detector that beep, leave you clueless because it echos and the sound bounces all over and also it’s short. The beep only goes on for a few moments and then it stops. Sounds that are constant like for example a hissing s... | [
"Have you ever heard the term \"Fucking like rabbits\"? They breed like crazy. They're also small, fast and like to hide. It's much easier said than done."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does machine learning work? Do computers experience cognitive dissonance where they have to weigh two conflicting ideas? | [
"There's a bunch of variations, but a lot of them look like this: The computer is given four things: 1. A bunch of pre-defined inputs that look like what it has to do (whether it's a medical diagnosis, the screen of an Atari game, or a Go board) 2. A program that processes the inputs 3. A bunch of knobs it can twea... | [
"Your brain has two modes of thought. A fast, intuitive decision making system and a slower, more methodical one. The fast system (what you call gut instinct) is for making quick decisions. It is trained on pattern recognition. That is, does this current situation look anything like a situation you've seen in the p... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
why do news channels consider Twitter a reliable, relevant, and serious source for different things? | [
"> Twitter was just for teens and young adults When reputable sources starting using it to disseminate information, that is no longer the case. Twitter is an easy way to reach a massive number of people, be it to share a major headline, or a photo of your dinner plate."
] | [
"They don't report on things like Facebook rumors but rather information from believed trustworthy sources. It's unconfirmed until an official announcement or multiple reliable sources confirm it. They have slightly higher standards than just retweeting random rumors. Wanting to be completely reliable is often at o... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are mice associated with cheese? | [
"Most mice prefer to feed on grains and nuts rather than cheese, but when they're hungry, they'll eat whatever they can find that is edible. Cheese tends to smell very strongly, especially when not refrigerated, and that makes it easier to find by mice, so when they're hungry, they'll go for whatever's easiest to f... | [
"So when and where did playing cards as we know them come into being anyways?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is self-plagiarism an issue in academics? | [
"In academic writing, the assumption is that uncited ideas are a new contribution to the field, even if it was your idea in the first place. It's just a report for a class, but they want you to get used to the style. (And if you quoted and cited an entire paper, you didn't do any work for that class.)"
] | [
"Your book may not necessarily be obsolete, or an unreliable source. This is the checklist I use for evaluating books. Publisher: is it published by an academically reputable publishing house? Author credentials: is the author qualified within the field they’re writing about? Citations: has this book been cited i... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How are things sticky? | [
"Adhesives and other sticky substances contain protein molecules that bond with the molecules of the surface they are spread upon by entering the pores and spaces of the material. Therefore, smooth surfaces such as glass are hard to attach to because there aren't any pores for molecules to enter."
] | [
"How successful have you been with everything but YouTube?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
How does honey never expire? | [
"Its acidity, the lack of water, and the presence of hydrogen peroxide are the factors that cause honey to be so incredibly shelf-stable for pretty much eternity. Here's some reading on it: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Just because something is made from vegetables doesn't automatically make it healthy. Heroin is made from vegetables."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
If cigarettes contain things like arsenic, butane, cadmium, ammonia, and formaldehyde, how can people smoke then everyday for years without dying within the first few weeks? | [
"There is no such thing as lethal or safe substances. There are only lethal and safe doses. Water can be toxic if you drink enough of it."
] | [
"Nicotine is an addictive chemical that is in cigarette smoke. There's other stuff in there too. People that don't like smoking, don't like the taste or feeling of smoking but, if you gave them nicotine skin patches or pills for long enough, they'd become physically addicted to the chemical, just like a smoker is."... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
- Why taking long showers or brushing your teeth with the faucet open waste water? | [
"The source of your clean water and the location where your wastewater ends up are rarely the same. Water treatment plants can recapture SOME wastewater, but the rest is lost, dumped into the sea (where we don't get drinking water from) or downstream for the very reason that we don't want sewage in our water supply... | [
"The aerator saves lots of water while still providing a solid stream, sufficient for washing your hands. An added benefit is that the aerated stream is less likely to cause unwanted splashing of water. Drinking water straight from an aerated faucet sucks though, because all you get are mouthfuls of air."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How are KFC's 11 secret herbs and spices still a secret? | [
"It's not worth it. At this point, KFC could probably publish the exact recipe on the walls of their restaurants and it wouldn't make a difference. No one is going to create a chain restaurant to make the exact same thing that another chain restaurant does with no changes at all. If someone wanted to make money sel... | [
"KFC claims it is a chicken breast filet, double breaded and deep fried. There's really no reason to doubt the claim, either."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How come educational channels like history and discovery do not show educational things anymore? | [
"Educational shows no longer draw enough viewers to pay the bills for the upkeep of the channel."
] | [
"There is a channel called \"Technology Connections\" that explain a lot of this kind of stuff, in a audio-visual format, if you would want to see that as well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
How CDs/DVDs Store and Read Data, and Why a Scratch Can Ruin Everything | [
"CDs and DVDs are types of *optical discs*. The CD/DVD is covered with a large number of little holes, called pits. A tightly focused laser shines onto the surface of the CD, and depending on whether it hits a pit or a flat part, the intensity changes. A sensor reads that intensity change, and translates it into a ... | [
"Being Black Does Actually Have (Relatively Minor) Health Consequences, It's Just That They're Obviated By Modern Life. There's An Energy Cost To Have Extra Melanin, Even A Small One, So If You Don't Need It It Won't Be Selected For. Melanin Reduces Vitamin-D Uptake From The Sun If Sunlight Is Lower Than You're Ada... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
what did ancient humans do with umbilical cords during birth? | [
"The umbilical cord is connected to the placenta, the interface between the fetal and maternal bloodstreams, which is given the folksy name 'afterbirth' -- because the woman ejects it shortly after the birth, within the hour. Thing weighs about a pound too. Isn't giving birth beautiful? Once that's out, the baby is... | [
"So they don't get eaten by predators. There's a theory they humans evolved deep sleep only after coming down from the trees and inventing fire and guards. Sorry can't find the link."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Why do we use fresh water for our sewage? | [
"It's easier and cheaper to have a single delivery system to all buildings than it is to develop and install a second identical system for non-potable water delivery. You're also avoiding the inevitable mishaps when people confuse the two."
] | [
"Why do some parts of the world call gasoline petrol?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
I broke up with my GF yesterday, it was my own decision because the relationship was at a point we both were unsatisfied. Why do I want her back, even though my brain says it's better this way? (It lasted over 4 years) | [
"Sorry to hear that. Going through a break up is hard. Firstly, and its been mentioned is that love is a form of drug. I believe, going from memory its oxytocin but i may be wrong. Simply put, your body does get a 'high' from your partner and breaking up leads to 'withdrawal', unfortunately. There a lot of variable... | [
"I was one of those dickheads that always said I don't know why people rely on antidepressant medication because it is all in their head. My girlfriend of 4 years left me without notice. I haven't been able to get out of the black hole they like to call depression ever since. I have been through break ups and famil... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What happens after someone escapes prision | [
"The person who escaped tends to spend most of the time trying to get further from the prison while the police try and find them and then put them back in."
] | [
"If it becomes known, then it's wiped from your record and you get reimbursed for the time spent in prison. But that varies from state to state."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't I become the President of the United States (I was born in Canada)? | [
"The founders were nervous that a foreign power would attempt to control the country by getting one of their own elected president. Hamilton wrote in the Federalist Papers: > Nothing was more to be desired than that every practicable obstacle should be opposed to cabal, intrigue, and corruption. These most deadly ... | [
"stay strong, and one day a white person may actually become a member of Congress or even President of the US."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
How does the rule of 3 work? | [
"[You're going to have to be more specific.](_URL_0_)"
] | [
"I am not an expert, but my answer would be three words: high interest rates."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Was there any form of birth control used at brothels in pre-moderrn times? How did women prevent getting pregnant? | [
"There have been known herbs that can be used to induce abortions - such as Pennyroyal, that would be mixed with wine / tea."
] | [
"Well drugs weren't really an issue back then. Alcohol and marijuana and tobacco were more or less accepted. It is only in the 20th century when those things became taboo. As for sex and rebellion, have you read Shakespeare? He and other playwrights covered those themes extensively especially in tales such as Romeo... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Does the shape of the Pentagon actually help the U.S. military? | [
"The design of it was to maximize office space while minimizing travel time on foot from one side to the other. The theory was for better reaction times and message delivery."
] | [
"Cost > Benefit Or as per the conspiracy theory there is an alien observation post and we have a pact not to go there."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If I'm thinking in english, what were thoughts like before we developed language? | [
"when you say 'thinking', that is a big process, of which 'thinking in words' is a small part. kind of like confusing the commentator for the entire ball game."
] | [
"There was 3 languages initially discovered on it. We could understand 2, and realized they said the same thing. We used that as a basis and assumed the third said the same thing in a different language (which was hieroglyphics). It took 20 years pf studying after the initial discovery for people to believe they ha... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why was 911 selected as the number to dial in case of emergency? | [
"They wanted a short, easy to remember number, but also one that was not as likely to be accidentally dialed. It also needed to be fast to dial during the era of rotary phones when the system was first designed. So a 3 digit number starting with 9 and then using the fastest to dial numbers of 1 was chosen."
] | [
"It caused damage on the way down, if you induce vomiting, it'll burn on the way up causing more damage. Always, in the United States, call 1-800-222-1222 to speak with a local poison control center. This hotline number will let you talk to experts in poisoning. They will give you further instructions."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How do selective hiring companies not get sued? | [
"Because their business model is built around having females. It's like how Hooters can hire only attractive women because they're technically hiring models who just happen to waitress, and being attractive is a job qualification for being a model. Or how a man can't claim discrimination that a strip club won't hir... | [
"Because they promise not to use your answer to determine whether or not to hire you."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
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