query stringlengths 19 300 | pos list | neg list | task stringclasses 1 value | instruction dict |
|---|---|---|---|---|
How did early humans develop opposable thumbs? | [
"Evolution does not work that way. It isn't as if some creature is sitting around thinking \"this mutation woukd really help us\" and suddenly his kids develop the mutation. The mutation occurred randomly and the environment was so that he survived while his non-opposable thumbed brethren did not. This meant he pas... | [
"Because we don't need them to. Our feet evolved to be good at standing on two feet and running, since we moved out of jungles and into the fields in our evolutionary past. However, dexterity in your fingers was constantly being selected for, especially with the advent of tool making in our ancestor Homo Habillis 2... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Anatomy:"
} |
Why are ships referred to as "her" or "she"? | [
"Because it's mostly men who own them, they're super expensive, they cost a ton to maintain, and they're hella fun to ride."
] | [
"Whom is an object whereas who is a subject. It's just like he/him and she/her: \"He is tall\" vs \"That is him?\" is analogous to \"Who is tall\" vs \"That is whom?\""
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Language and Culture:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Language and Culture:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How can acid eat through metal, but not a glass/plastic cup? | [
"I'm not sure about the exact solution they are using, but I'm going to use aqua regia as an example. Solid metals are composed of metallic atoms arranged in a metallic lattice, with metallic bonds connecting them NOT chemical bonds. These are much weaker and can be sheared with less energy. Gold, as we know, is ... | [
"The mug has a different temp than the table, either water will condense on the mug, like a pop can, or the heat from the mug will cause the water in the table to expand/evaporate. Very hot things can cause the varnish to lift as well."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What is an itch, why does it bother us, and how does scratching it make it go away / feel better? | [
"Scratching an itch, releases endorphins instantly into the surround nervous system area. It provides instant gratification but ultimately makes the itch worse. Like smoking crack and getting an instant high but then coming down. I actually have no idea what I'm saying."
] | [
"One possibility is like when you scratch an itch. You might stop and pause to make sure that the itch is gone, realize that it isn't, and start scratching again. But who knows. I'm not a cat."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why SSD is better than Hard Drive? | [
"For one, they're faster. *Much* faster. Insanely faster. It's not even close. If you were to compare it to running, it'd be a bicycle vs a car. Additionally, SSDs can be much smaller in size, are more durable, and use less power generally. Much of this is due to physical HDDs' physical limitations. In a HDD, there... | [
"Sure! * Monitor - Let's you see stuff the computer wants to show you * Keyboard/Mouse - Let's you put information into the computer, control things * Harddrive - Stores information in the medium/long term (SLOW) * RAM - Stores information in the short term (FAST) * Optical Drive - Let's you read from disks using l... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument about Computer Science:"
} |
How do animals in eggs know when to hatch? | [
"Genetic programming. Remember how you latched onto your mom's boob for your first meal? OF COURSE NOT. But you did, because it was genetically programmed that you had an instinctual latching-on process to get that milk into you (or, alternately, from a bottle if you weren't breast fed). Animals are the same. They ... | [
"Everyone is born in an egg. Just some species keep the eggs inside mommy till they hatch and some pop the egg out early to hatch in the nest."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
What are skin tags and why do we get them? | [
"A skin tag is actually a benign tumor that usually forms where skin creases, like the neck or armpit, and sometimes the eyelids. They are almost always harmless. They're very common (moreso in women than men), and thought to be formed by skin rubbing on skin, but the exact cause is unknown. They're safe to leave ... | [
"...acids and/or irritation. This is a pretty easy one to google if you like. Canker sores are different from cold sores too, which is good to know. Usually young people (under 30) get canker sores more often, but they can happen to anyone."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
What is "Salisbury Steak" made from? And is it just a US commercially made food or does hit actually have roots in England? | [
"Its roots are in the USA, not the UK. It's named after Dr. Salisbury who invented it in the 1800s. It's mostly ground beef but may contain some pork depending on who makes it. [Details.](_URL_0_) There is a similar food in the UK, called a *grillsteak.*"
] | [
"It's named after the town of Hamburg in Germany, not after Ham the meat. It's just a coincidence that the town's name sounds like the English word for specific cuts of pig meat. Is that clearer?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post about Language and Etymology:"
} |
How come standard pixel widths (360p, 720p, 1080p...) correspond to the number of degrees in a/several full rotation(s) ? | [
"It's the beauty of maths. The two aren't related besides the fact they both divide down really well. 360 divides by 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 15 etc. As a percentage of these lower numbers that's way more than almost any other (this is also why a lot of people have and still do believe that base 12 counting... | [
"You're overthinking it. Standard ratio for screen resolution is 16:9, and all those numbers you listed are divisible by 9, and are also nicely rounded numbers (Instead of like, 1840x1035. though obviously there are exceptions. The iPhone X for example, has a resolution of 2436x1125) Also it's resolution, not pixe... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why does string theory require 10 dimensions? | [
"Yo man, I respect this subreddit, but string theory might be a little too ambitious for ELI5."
] | [
"> How do we know there are 12? We don't know whether there are 12, or any more than 4. Current conventional physics only uses 4 dimension (3 space + 1 time). The 12 dimensions you hear from are a prediction (or rather: a requirement) of certain speculative theories in physics like string theory. String theory has ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Google's new parent company Alphabet? | [
"Alphabet is an umbrella company with Google as one of its subsidiaries. Unlike a corporate takeover, where one company purchases and generally absorbs another, Alphabet was created by Google in a bid to 'restructure' their sprawling organization."
] | [
"Ad revenue from the site it sets your default search engine to. It's the same way Google makes their money."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How do movie makers hire actors to play 'ugly' roles. | [
"Many actors of course find it insulting, but work is work, and getting acting work you gotta take what you can get, its hard."
] | [
"Because I can relate to them. It helps if they are handsome and athletic too. Most porns are to my liking because of this."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does lucid dreaming work? What are some of the most reliable methods to induce it, and how soon would you expect it to start 'working'? | [
"I think some people can do it, and others simply can't do it. I've read some articles about it and a reliable method seems to be video gaming. putting yourself into some virtual reality for a long time seems to make it easier to trigger this lucid dreaming state. I've played ALOT of video games and MMO's and I'm p... | [
"People arent used to paying attention to their dreams, and they generally put very little effort into remembering them. This leads to people remembering less and less of them. If you look back, you might remember having more dreams when you were a child compared to now. With some training (writing down as much as ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment about Psychology:"
} |
If both parties agree gerrymandering is bad and accusing the other side of the aisle, what is truly preventing gerrymandering from being outlawed? | [
"Gerrymandering is only bad for one party, and it's great for the other. So despite both parties agreeing that it can be bad, they also know they can benefit greatly from it. The benefit for them outweighs the detriment, no matter how much they want to whine about how bad it is to appease to voters. After all, they... | [
"They can and do. Illinois' 4th and Florida's 5th are prime examples of the dems gerrymandering. Unfortunately the only way our government tries to fix gerrymandering is with more gerrymandering. Edit: got my districts mixed up"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What exactly makes that knuckle-cracking-sound? | [
"When you release pressure on the joint, dissolved gases in the joint fluid expand. Then they immediately dissolve again and what you're hearing is the fluids \"slapping\" back together. So yeah, it actually is kind of like a bubble \"popping.\""
] | [
"Because you accomplish a fart with your butt, and that's some funny shit."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
Why doesn't a garden-hose eventually explode even when the tap is on and the nozzle on the other end is shut-off/closed? | [
"Your plumbing supplies water at a certain maximum pressure. That pressure is lower than the pressure required to stretch the hose. So it's less like blowing up a balloon, and more like blowing through a pinched straw. No matter how hard your lungs can blow, the straw's not going to explode."
] | [
"> How do the pipes relieve pressure? They don't, they're just strong (made of metal) so they are more than capable of containing a few PSI of water pressure. > This seems to indicate that there is constantly water flowing into the pipes. Nope. Imagine you have a bucket full of water with a hose coming out the bot... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Measles have reapeared in the USA because of anti-vaccination movements. Why should I care if I'm vaccinated, aren't I protected from it? | [
"1. The vaccine isn't always 100% effective, and it's possible (though rare) for the vaccine to not work properly for some people. 2. Many people can't be vaccinated (allergy to the materials in the vaccination, compromised immune systems, too young to be vaccinated, etc.), and those at-risk groups rely on everyone... | [
"I highly doubt you understand everything that goes on in your computer, but refusing to use one would be odd. Same goes for electric light, cars and just about everything else. The problem with vaccines is that refusing to vaccinate does not just impact you, but impact everyone around the kid too. Check out \"Herd... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How does the genotyping process that 23andMe use work? | [
"Check out Smarter Every Day's video for a behind the scenes at the factory with loads of useful info: _URL_0_"
] | [
"They look for the most common genetic markers. of different diseases.They do this by checking a specific area of your DNA’s sequence; if the sequence matches up with a mutation that is linked to, say, breast cancer, this means that you may be genetically predisposed to the condition."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph:"
} |
Penny stock fraud (i.e. Wolf of Wall Street) | [
"Buying and selling penny stocks is normal. Selling penny stocks to investors and lying about what they are (eg A great opportunity, as good as a blue chip, the next Microsoft etc. etc.) is illegal. That's what the Wolf was doing."
] | [
"Insider trading specifically refers to trading based on non-public information As long as all the relevant information about your company is publicly known, there is no reason to brand trading in stock from your own company as inside trading."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about Legal:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Legal:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do some artists sign to record labels and become famous within 6 months-a year while others sign to the same record labels and are worse-off in 6 months to a year when both artist's music/commercial potential is about the same? | [
"> ...when both artist's music/commercial potential is about the same? This is your subjective take on the matter. Perhaps others would be inclined to agree? Besides, music trends aren't always about good sounding music but just what happens to get popular anyhow."
] | [
"The music label makes most of the money off a sale of music, with the artist usually getting a percentage, which is negotiated based on how big the artist is. Top 40 musicians make money at concerts and doing endorsement deals in addition to sales of music."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about music industry:"
} |
What became of the 'rags to riches' soccer team? | [
"You are talking about the English team Leicester City F.C. and they are still currently at the top of the Premiere League."
] | [
"??? The entertainment industry is part of the billionaire class though"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Can birds fly in a moving car? If so, how? | [
"If the acceleration of the car is zero, i.e. it is moving at a constant velocity, you might as well imagine it as being stationary. Think of an airplane cruising at 400 mph, people aren't being flung to the back of it, you can walk around, go to the bathroom, and function as if the plane isn't even moving at all. ... | [
"Do you know how a fan works? If so just turn it around"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit post:"
} |
how does chemotherapy work without killing us? | [
"Chemotherapy attacks rapidly dividing cells- so you're hoping cancerous cells that are wrecking havoc on your body, but unfortunately this also means it attacks other cells that normals divide rapidly like blood cells and follicle cells, which is why chemo patients often lose their hair and may require blood trans... | [
"Your teacher is an idiot. Talk to a doctor about the best way to beat a type of cancer. That being said, a diet high in vegetables and low in red meat would lower your chances of getting cancer in the first place."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query about Medicine:",
"pos": "Represent the document about Medicine:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does water seem so cold in my mouth while i chew gum? | [
"When you have \"cool\" water (say, 10C or 50F) in your mouth, it is draining heat out of your body at a certain rate. If you have ice water in your mouth (0C or 32F), it is draining heat out of your body much faster. Menthol (what makes things smell minty) is an irritant that increases blood flow. More blood flow ... | [
"Pour a bunch of sugar on a piece of paper. Put the sugar and paper in your mouth and chew it. Once you don't taste any more sugar, spit the paper out. Do you think you just consumed some calories even though you didn't eat any paper? The answer is yes. Same concept applies to gum."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question about Dentistry:",
"pos": "Represent the passage about Dentistry:",
"neg": "Represent the passage:"
} |
Why are there jokers in card decks? | [
"The joker is still used in games like Canasta, Gin Rummy and Euchre. By removing it, those games would have to change their rules, which would annoy more people than simply leaving the cards in."
] | [
"Why do you have so many lips and chins?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage about Biology:"
} |
Why do stores leave some lights on even when closed? | [
"So that if they get broken into overnight the surveillance will actually be able to show something."
] | [
"Turning the lights off uses no power. Turning them on uses almost no power, except for some fluorescent models where it can use up to 30 seconds of power. Short answer: turn them off, especially if you're likely to be gone for much more than a minute."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument:"
} |
Why do humans crave sugar? | [
"Sugar, fats and starches are all high-energy food sources. During most of human evolution, we didn't have consistent access to these foods. Our bodies evolved to crave them so we would seek out energy sources (think \"fuel\" for our bodies). A few more berries or a handful of legumes gathered could fuel our muscle... | [
"Your body is telling you to quit smoking. Listen to it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
The Control Group of a science experiment. How does giving a placebo to a control group do anything? | [
"Let's say you invent a drug that prevents cancer. You have a group of people who are taking it, and another group of people who are taking a sugar pill. You're going to monitor them for 10 years and see which group has better cancer outcomes. Over the course of those 10 years, though, the city realizes that the a... | [
"Same ingredients, same results. Placebo effect might lead you to believe otherwise."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do touchscreen phones never lose calibration? | [
"Most (if not all) phone touch screens use capacitive touch, while other things, like computer touch screens use resistive touch. I'm no expert, but you can find more information on this article: _URL_0_"
] | [
"Space. Big screen, camera, microphone, ear speaker, light sensor, notification led. Some phones do it (HTC one) but others just put it on the back because it still works that way too."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
Who is Guy Fawkes, why is he so important, and what is the big deal with his mask? | [
"Guy (Guido) Fawkes planned to blow up a few very important buildings. The Gunpowder Plot, as it was known, was going to blow up the House of Lords, but he failed when someone tipped off the feds. On Nov 5 they found him with a bunch of gunpowder and and they executed him (he actually sort of executed himself, but ... | [
"Well, we set fire to effigies of him so it isn't really glorifying him. It started with anti-Catholics celebrating his failure to install a catholic monarch. I think most people would recognise: Remember remember the 5th of november the gun powder treason and plot I see no reason why the gun powder treason should... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why do some songs on pop radio stations just now start to be played when they are months to a year old? | [
"The record labels control when radio starts playing music. I don't listen to pop radio much, but I feel like \"Take me to Church\" became popular without radio, then the label released it to radio."
] | [
"It isn't. TV and radio in the 80's had a lot to do in influencing the length of songs. If they're 3 minutes on average, you can stick the top 10 songs in a 30 minute TV/radio slot. Billy Joel talked about it at one point, because he kept being told that his songs needed to be trimmed to fit time slots."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Music:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Music:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about Music:"
} |
When you smell someone's fart, are you inhaling microscopic vaporized pieces of decal matter? | [
"Most of what you smell is methane and other gases produced during digestion. Not fecal matter."
] | [
"> what purpose does farting serve? Farting serves the purpose of releasing excess gas in your digestive system. These gases are generally produced by (beneficial to you) bacteria that live within your digestive system > Why do they smell identical to the shit that I would imminently blast out? A human perceives s... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
When a video is uploaded over and over again on youtube, what is physically happeening to make the video quality get worse each time? | [
"Compression. A typical camera records 1080p 30fps at 17Mbps, which is just under 1GB/min. Whereas a typical bitrate on YouTube is ~3Mbps, which is < 1/5 the size. Every time you re-upload it, YouTube goes through the whole compression process again. Compression is where they take a group of similar looking col... | [
"They use a ton of HDDs :D Basically they are held on a server farm. Which can hold petabytes of information. Though Youtube now has 100s of petabytes worth of info.. and youtube infrastructure is complicated! As youtube uses a pretty complicated distribution method for its data. when a standard person uploads a vi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
What is a covered bond? And how do they work? | [
"Covered bonds are bonds that are secured by an underlying pool of assets, known as the cover pool. Investors buy covered bonds and so they have claim on the underlying pool. The underlying pool (typically mortgages or loans, but can also be ships, aircrafts, etc) generate cash flow, and that cash flow is passed on... | [
"Stock: You own part of the company. If there are 100 stocks, and you own 1, you own 1% of the company. Bond: My company needs $100 loan to do a project. I don't want to get get the money from a bank, so I create bonds. If you buy my bond, I'll pay you back with interest. Securities: Any tradable financial asset. T... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why does gas you get in the US have so much lower octane numers than in germany? | [
"Your octane numbers and our octane numbers don't mean the same thing. From an engineering perspective the octane number is actually a kind of hilariously arbitrary number that basically boils down a bunch of different fuel qualities, that all both individually *and* collectively control a fuel's likelihood to knoc... | [
"It depends where you live. Petrol (or refined petroleum) is used to run the engine. Gas, it depends where you live: In the USA and influenced countries it's the same as petrol, coming from gasoline. In other countries it refers to LPG (Liquefied petroleum gas). Benzin is the German (Benzine for Dutch) word for pet... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How did they do the dinosaur sounds for Jurassic park? | [
"This is the first write up I found with a simple google search: _URL_0_"
] | [
"The THC blocks certain receptors in the.... wait, what were we talking about again?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How can humans sense when they are being watched? | [
"We can't. It is confirmation bias in action. Basically, you have been watched countless times. One of those times you got a funny feeling and happened to notice someone watching you. Ever since, whenever you get that feeling, you believe someone is watching you. Edit...wrong phrase."
] | [
"You're not making contact with a different universe, you're simply coming closer to the one we all know and love!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do so many people get "stuck" in a retail job? | [
"Because it's easy. Because retailers generally always need new employees. Because it's mostly mindless. Because it can be done in pretty much any small town or big city. Because it's usually \"good enough\" to get by. Because not changing is easier than finding a new job prospect, interviewing, and hoping that you... | [
"A follow-up question: Why do some people love that feeling while others detest it?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Should I really stop drinking milk? Are Silk/Almond Milk suitable "replacements"? | [
"> I've been seeing a lot more evidence that humans are not designed to continue to drink milk after infancy. And yet here we are, drinking milk, as impossible as a bumblebee's flight. Don't pay too much attention to this \"evidence\". It is true that *most* mammals stop being able to process lactose after infancy,... | [
"According to WebMd \"Coffee and tea also count in your tally. Many used to believe that they were dehydrating, but that myth has been debunked. The diuretic effect does not offset hydration.\" You can also supplement your water intake by certain fruits and veg (Think watermelon, cucumber etc) Happy Hydration! _URL... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why isn't everyone using hypnosis sessions or recordings to unlock languages stored in your brain, weight loss tricks, etc? | [
"Anything can work for quitting smoking, because the trick is just to somehow convince yourself that you do not want to want to smoke anymore. A hypnosis session might work just because you think it will. Hypnosis sessions cannot give you knowledge you never had (like how to speak a language), and there are *no* cl... | [
"This isnt something that occurs with all people. Basically what happens is that you receive some form of stimuli (you may not even know its happening) that triggers a subconscious memory. There are come amazingly interesting articles on enhancing memory and linking the subconscious and conscious memory through tri... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How/what is starting the heart when in uterus. What initiates that very first heartbeat? | [
"In human embryos the heart begins to beat at about 22-23 days, with blood flow beginning in the 4th week when the nutritional and oxygen requirements of the growing embryo can no longer be met by diffusion from the placenta. The heart is therefore one of the earliest differentiating and functioning organs^[1](_URL... | [
"Cardiac arrest by interrupting the electrical signal that controls the heart's beating, and maybe burning out the nerves and brain."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How is body damage on a car (dents, scratches, etc) repaired? | [
"- Most scratches can be fixed with touch-up paint. - Minor, non-creased dents can be fixed with a dent puller, basically a suction cup. - Larger dents, or creases, can be fixed with something called body puddy, or bondo-o. Essentially you fill in the dent with the puddy until it approximates the original curve of ... | [
"GAP insurance covers the difference between the actual cash value of a vehicle (what your insurance will pay if it is totaled) and the balance still owed on the financing (car loan, lease, etc.). GAP coverage is mainly used on new and used small vehicles (cars and trucks) and heavy trucks. Some financing companies... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
What makes hypoallergenic dogs/cats hypoallergenic? | [
"The part that makes people allergic to cats is actually a protein (FEL D1) found in their saliva. When a cat licks herself, she deposits the protein on her skin, and when it dries off, the flakes become airborne and trigger symptoms of allergy in people. So, it's not the fur that's the issue, it's the dead skin. I... | [
"Neither in the way that you seem to imply. If you want a hypoallergenic dog, you *find one* that happens to be hypoallergenic and breed it with other dogs so that the puppies might be hypoallergenic, too. Breeding is the crudest form of genetic modification, but it works. If you want a dog that is *more* hypoalle... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why is it that when I am standing I get tired easily, but when I am walking I can walk for much longer | [
"I'm just here to say great question. But then sometimes i stand (and do something eg stand and play guitar) and its not as tiring as just standing."
] | [
"I was actually thinking about this the other day because I'm the kind of person seems to never get comfortable. I found out if you stretch and loosen up your muscles you'll have an easier time sitting still or even falling asleep at night."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why does not every rain storm have lightning and thunder? | [
"Lightning only occurs in high energy storms. This means they have a lot of CAPE (convective available potential energy, often weathermen will say instability). It can rain with low CAPE, but it doesn't necessarily come with lightning. High CAPE results in storms with considerably more energy. Areas like the West C... | [
"It is just lightning that is too far away for you to hear the thunder. It takes the right atmospheric conditions for you to see it. It is often called \"heat lightning\" but there is nothing different about it."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Batteries - Generic Vs. Name Brand | [
"Check for an expiration date on the Kroger batteries. Sometimes the no-name batteries have been sitting in a warehouse for years before they get put on a shelf and someone buys them. From my experiences buying batteries from Amazon, I've seen the big names usually put an expiration date on the pack, as if to show ... | [
"Coke: Can Dr Pepper: Bottle Barq's (Root Beer): Bottle Mountain Dew: Can Source- Caffeine Addict"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
Why is it when someone eats a piece of sharp cheddar cheese, they get the sensation like their forehead and cheeks are sweating? | [
"I have never encountered this and I eat sharp cheddar often, some weeks daily. I have also never heard of anyone encountering this. If you get a flushed or sweating sensation when eating a food and it is not overly spicy then you are likely having some kind of allergic reaction or intolerance reaction and you nee... | [
"It's just like, one single \"taste bud\" that gets all angry and swells up - not friggin huge, but bigger than the rest, and it feels all sensitive. I get them after acidic foods - oranges, tomatoes, pineapple. When I was a kid, I'd just pinch them off with my fingernails; it hurt like hell for a minute but they w... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What exactly has Hillary done over the years to not make her trustworthy? I am 17 and want to get educated for the primaries. | [
"Not Watergate. Watergate happened in 1972 and it made Richard Nixon resign in 1974. Hillary Clinton (and Bill) was Whitewater which involved a savings and loan giving improper loans connected to real estate deals. No wrongdoing was found specifically with the Clintons there, but it centered around Bill Clinton as... | [
"Medicare is a government-provided automatic health care for people over the age of 65. ACA is a law that requires people to get health care and forces healthcare providers to do certain things. Many republicans trash ACA because Obama supports it. There's really no other logical explanation given the praise that r... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
If employer applications state they will not discriminate against you based on your race or gender, why do they still ask for that information? | [
"It's usually kept separate from the application, so the recruiter doesn't read it. They will use it if someone tries to claim discrimination to prove they aren't discriminating."
] | [
"There are a set of things you cannot legally discriminate for, like race or religion. Some states add additional protected classes on top of the federal ones, like sexual orientation or gender identity. You are legally allowed to discriminate for any reason other than a protected reason."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are the cooking estimates on Frozen Foods always wrong even if you directly follow the instructions? | [
"Cooking times vary due to the variance in appliances. However, I've noticed that with my particular oven, stovetop, and microwave, the estimated cooking times are pretty much spot-on. Perhaps you have equipment that either cooks too hot or not hot enough to match the expected cooking time. Adjust as necessary."
] | [
"It doesn't? After adding water, the caloric value per gram is much lower than before. Do you have a more specific example?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why are South Koreans protesting and demanding their president resigns? | [
"Basically, the South Korean President has admitted to being heavily influenced by a group of women who have no place in politics. They are the mostly the wives of large South Korean business-owners who have used her power to profit and further their own agendas. Tinfoil hat aside, it's more of a cult of personalit... | [
"Russia does not have a good track record when it comes to telling the truth. Why start believing them now?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why is oil "slippery" ? | [
"The defining property of oils is that they are [hydrophobic](_URL_0_). Hydrophobic molecules are non-polar. That means that the molecules don't really stick to anything. So when you push down on liquid oil, the the molecules just slide around."
] | [
"Peanutbutter is viscous. The viscosity of peanutbutter means that it will take longer to flow than other fluids. Aside from that, peanutbutter is not only viscous, but is able to squish between nooks and crannies in a surface, allowing it to act like a glue. It's a good adhesive. On top of that, peanutbutter is ma... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How come when I log in correctly, my computer instantly let's me in, but when I type it in wrong it takes 2 seconds before telling me it was incorrect? | [
"This is actually a security feature - it slows down attackers. If they're trying a bunch of different passwords that might be yours (this is called a \"brute force attack\"), then making it take a couple of seconds to fail means it will take the attacker a ***LONG*** time to try a significant number of passwords. ... | [
"it's so they / you know for sure the email address was entered right. password is not as critical, because if you still entered your email correctly but not the password, they can email you a link to reset your password."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why doesn't McDonald's food decompose? | [
"It does. Those videos are very misleading, and involve fast food that appears to decompose very little only because it is kept in dry conditions (meaning that it dehydrates and essentially mummifies), and then opposed to food kept in more humid conditions that decomposes very rapidly. It's complete BS."
] | [
"Because people don't like what they don't understand."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the passage:",
"neg": "Represent the passage about science:"
} |
How do we know that ancient languages are interpreted correctly? Same for making first contact with secluded tribes. Is it based on assumption? | [
"Yarr! Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5:How do historians or linguists decode and translate an ancient language that hasn't been spoken in a long time? ](_URL_3_) ^(_23 comments_) 1. [ELI5: How do we know that our translations of hieroglyphics are correct? ](_URL_1_) ^(_ > 100 co... | [
"It has been altered and edited by anonymous sources for hundreds of years. There's not much good reason to think it's reliable or accurate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
Why does TV shoot in 16:9 and movies shoot in 2.39:1 | [
"Former Movies theater projectionist here, Movies are shot in 1.85:1 (flat) and 2.39:1(scope/Anamorphic). During the days of actual film in movies theaters, 35mm film size was the standard in all theaters. They were marked scoped or flat which told the theater projectionist to use a standard lens for flat(16:9) or ... | [
"Regular 35mm is around 4K equivalent. 70mm is at most 2x wider and 1.2x taller, the Hateful Eight is 2.76:1, putting it at around 8200x3000. 70mm IMAX (Interstellar, The Dark Knight, Star Wars Ep VII (though only 1 scene), etc.) is 3x the size of 70mm (and rotated 90°), putting it at around 11800x8200."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
As a 27M who has smoked since the age of 16, how much of a recovery can my body make from quitting, how long will it take? | [
"When you quit smoking, the inflammation in the airways goes down. The little hair-like projections in the airways that we call cilia begin to work again. So the lungs will get better in weeks to months. Breathing will get better. Exercise capacity will get better. Paradoxically, people find that they cough a littl... | [
"Not everyone is equally susceptible to addiction to cigarettes. I can chain smoke for a few weeks and then just stop for a few weeks without it being an issue. I'm not sure why that is true for me but its possible it may be because I was around second hand smoke a lot as a child."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do we still use gunpowder in ammunition instead of other explosives that have a much greater energy to volume ratio? | [
"No matter what explosive we use in guns, we'll still call it \"gunpowder\" even if it's not a powder. It's just a name that stuck. But we've actually changed the formula several times. With small arms, you actually want to limit the speed at which the agent explodes, if you can believe it. Too much energy too fast... | [
"Explosives used to consist of lots of different mixtures, and it was hard to express just how much energy would be released with a particular explosive. They weren't very consistent. Trinitrotoluene is one chemical that explodes via a predictable chemical reaction: a certain amount of TNT always corresponds to a c... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit answer:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit answer:"
} |
If human skin 'regenerates' itself within ~35 days, why don't tattoos disappear along with it? | [
"Tattoo ink penetrates through the first layer of skin, the epidermis, into the deeper layer - the dermis. The epidermis is the layer that routinely sloughs off old skin cells. The cells of the dermis are far more stable and does not shed like the epidermis leaving the tattoo intact."
] | [
"Apparently a special type of stem cell is responsible for regenerating the lost tails in geckos. Stem cells of course are the cells that have no purpose other than to differentiate and specialize themselves in order to become whatever type of cell your body needs during growth or replacing other dead cells. & #x2... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document about biology:"
} |
Why is it easier to balance on a moving bike than one at rest? | [
"So, everyone so far has mentioned inertia and the gyroscopic effect. While these do have an effect, they aren't what keeps the bike from falling over. Simply put, the mass and speeds of the bike aren't enough to counter act you falling over. The true reason why you don't fall over is centrifugal force. If you were... | [
"Object in motion wants to stay in motion. Its easier on a car and requires less force to maintain a speed than to get the car moving from a stop."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph about Automotive:"
} |
how did el Chapo and his helpers dig the hole into the prison without anyone noticing? And how did they get such a perfect accuracy on where to come up (precisely into the hidden part of his cell)? | [
"I watched a documentary about El Chapo and the consensus seems to be that Mexico is so corrupt that he surely bought off people. It was an inside job."
] | [
"At this rate, we'll end up... sending trash into space. Joking aside, once the holes are filled, they pour some dirt, put some grass and trees above it and often it becomes a park. There's one near where I live, it used to be a gigantic garbage dump, now it's a gigantic park. There are well hidden tubes coming out... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
What are those jets for in the sky, and why do they leave behind a trail of white behind them? | [
"The airplanes are for transportation of goods and people. They fly very high to reduce drag with less-dense air and to avoid other planes. The trails are kind of like little clouds made from the stuff in the air swirling around as the airplane moves through it. These are called contrails. This is kind of the same ... | [
"There's water vapor emitted from the engines of planes and that vapor lingers in the air forming the clouds, which are called contrails. Depending on the circumstances, sometimes these contrails can linger in the air longer than others, expanding for minutes, or disappearing quickly. The temperature and humidity h... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Physics:"
} |
Why have all the 'big' animals and creatures gone extinct? Megalodon, the Dire Wolf? All these creatures were huge, top of the food chain predators but now don't exist? Yet the sloth; slow, dumb and effectively defenceless has somehow managed to survive? | [
"As per your example, a sloth survives on plants. It uses no energy because it virtually doesn't move. A sloth goes SO slow it actually can have moss grow on its fur. When predators hunt they go for sounds and sights. A piece of moss isn't that inviting. These animals survive because they're specialized to survive.... | [
"The largest animal that has ever lived is a blue whale, which still exists. People killed most of the megafauna that would otherwise live in Asia, Europe, and the Americas. There were many, many small dinosaurs, reptiles, and mammals millions of years ago, but only the big charismatic ones are popular. My point is... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title about biology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about biology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit paragraph about biology:"
} |
What would happen if a country cut the value of its currency? | [
"it's happened alot with countries with out of control inflation. Iran did did it. they just dropped 3 zero's. i think congo did it too. dropped like 6 zeros."
] | [
"They're worried their money will become inflated or lose value altogether or be seized. The Government can change how much their money is worth but the value of physical goods changes much slower."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
How galaxies can be hundreds of light years away, and yet we can still photograph them from earth? | [
"First, it is important to level set on the distance. The closest galaxy to the Milky Way is the Andromeda galaxy. It is around 2.5 million light years away. A light year is the distance that light travels in a year. Since light travels at roughly 300,000,000 meters per second, a light year is a very far distance. ... | [
"Yes. Even light from the sun takes around 8 mins + 19 seconds to get to us. When we see a star, we often see it from many, many years ago, so it's quite possible it doesn't exist anymore. Not much we can do about it!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post about astronomy:",
"pos": "Represent the document about astronomy:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Can i kill someone when shooting an AK or similar in the air and the bullets drop lets say in a big crowd? | [
"yes, but it's not the most efficient way to do it. You are much more likely to be successful if you aim directly at your target."
] | [
"Most plane fights are fought with missiles nowadays, back then though the bullets would just fly for awhile and finally start to just fall. Most of the time landing in the middle of nowhere."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why is the pain of having sore muscles somewhat enjoyable? | [
"If I tell you that the pain you feel in your muscles after a workout is the pain of your body tearing itself down to rebuild itself better, how does that make you feel? If I tell you that the pain you feel in your muscles after a workout is your body developing cancer, how does that make you feel? And there's your... | [
"Why does stretching my hamstrings feel so unpleasant, while stretching my calves feels good?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why do companies pay dividends to stockholders? | [
"You pay dividends to make your shares attracive to own. Many people buy shares hoping they will increase in value others want an income from owning the shares in addition."
] | [
"Two ways: 1. The value of those shares could go up in the future and you could resell them at a higher price than you bought them. 2. Many companies pay a dividend where they give a small amount of money to every person who owns a share of the company's stock."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit passage:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit passage:"
} |
Why can't we make computers that use regular English (or just a human language at all) to do things instead of all this code like Java or C+? | [
"Step 1: place the cup on the table Step 2: move it 1 inch to the left Did you just move the cup 1 inch to the left? Or the table? Ambiguity like that is common in \"natural\" languages, but is no good for a computer language. This is just one of many reasons why computers have such a hard time understanding natu... | [
"Most are languages extending past assembly language. Assembly is very difficult for humans to understand, but very close to true 'machine code.' Not exactly binary, but one step above it. Today, few people know assembly, and those who know it well, their minds basically ARE computers. Let's use Java for an example... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do I hear so much about censorship in Australia? How did they get to be so strict about what they censor? | [
"1. Why do you hear so much about it? Because your journalists had a slow news week. 2. How did they get to be so strict about what they censor? Honestly, age. We have a large baby boomer population that votes again and again to keep the status quo. For the longest time we weren't actually censoring video games tha... | [
"Better question: why is there censorship at all? Are we really supposed to be ashamed of the fun bits of life?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document about Biology:"
} |
What is RAW picture format and why is it useful? | [
"RAW is a direct dump of the information coming off the image sensor of your camera with no processing being done to it at all. The main benefit is that you can do a lot of image processing on RAW that you wouldn't be able to do with JPEG files. A [picture like this](_URL_0_) will show you what's capable."
] | [
"No matter what kind of camera you use, you are going to get lousy quality video and audio. Direct transfer from the source will always be the only acceptable way."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
If copper is self sterilizing, why doesn't every hospital make door handles, and other frequently touched objects, with it? | [
"A couple of reasons. 1. Copper is very expensive compared to other materials. 2. Sanitizing cleaning solutions are relatively inexpensive, and even with self sterilizing surfaces, these areas would still be cleaned regularly. 3. In order to properly self sanitize, it usually takes a minimum of around 2 hours. Some... | [
"They're a gimmick to make germaphobes feel safer. However, they do not protect against any germs being that they're just too thin."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
How will Netflix use data to determine if they should do a Punisher spin off or not? | [
"How many people watch multiple Netflix originals of other Marvel shows. If many people who watch DareDevil also watch Jessica Jones, and will also watch the upcoming Luke Cage/Iron Fist/The Defenders, that is a good indication they will also watch Punisher."
] | [
"If it's a non-Netflix original, it's because they are licensing those shows from other companies. The license might expire, or the other company might revoke it because they want to set up their own streaming service or sell it through another platform for potentially more money. If it's a Netflix original, it's b... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why does the expression "... like it's going out of style" mean that you're doing it a lot? Don't people do/use things LESS as they're fading in popularity? | [
"It's implying that they know that X will be unpopular soon so the person is basically trying to get the most out of whatever X is while its still considered acceptable."
] | [
"Celebrity imitation is pretty common. That's why they usually get clothes from name brand clothing manufacturers for free. When they wear stuff, everyone will buy the same/similar things. Because fans of a certain celebrity think that person is attractive, and the clothes they wear are altered to fit them better, ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
High School student, how does college work? | [
"Major- Primary area of study. Often 40-60 credits taken in this area. Minor- You've taken enough credits to have an idea of the field, but did not heavily concentrate in it. Usually 18-24 core credits. Technical School- Typically offers vocational and trade programs; mechanic, nurse, IT, etc Associates - 2 years, ... | [
"And it helps to know that you have the drive and brains to go to and finish college. It's rough."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
When I'm passing urine, why does it froth some of the time but not others? This is into water without any cleaning products in it. | [
"The froth is from the amount of protein in your urine. The times you will most notice this is in the morning when the content is highest."
] | [
"I also have this and it's not related to an infection or STD. If OP is like me he pees normally most of the time but if you go for a pee within about 5 minutes of ejaculating it stings a bit. I thought that it might be because the uretra is still sensitive from sex."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Science:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about Science:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why is math (statistics, calculus, etc) so important for a strong programmer? | [
"Programming is - in a sense - just applied math. Math has a strong emphasis on: - logic - developing/applying algorithms - defining stuff (classes, groups, etc) I'm not saying you can't become a great programmer without studying maths, I'm just saying since they share so many similarities it usually helps to lear... | [
"To put this into a rather poor analogy: building architect is to construction worker as software engineer (SE) is to programmer. A good SE is able to program, but is also capable of designing the system and creating specifications to which a programmer codes. Computer science includes both of these disciplines, bu... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are English words phonetically explained with strange symbols? Why not just include those symbols in the alphabet? | [
"First, they're not an English alphabet — each symbol in IPA is meant to represent a distinct and unambiguous sound that humans make to communicate. There are *some* sounds used by humans that aren't represented in IPA yet — so, it isn't complete. Second: there are *hundreds* of symbols in IPA — far more than ther... | [
"One is copied from Chinese: a character for each word, essentially. The next is essentially an alphabet: necessary for Japanese words that don't have well-known characters. The third is merely a second copy of the alphabet, a bit like English upper-case and lower-case, though used for different reasons."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
why do I run out of gas faster when the a/c is on in my car | [
"Because you are using gas to power your car and power the motor on the air conditioner instead of just using gas to power your car."
] | [
"The A/C comes on to dry the air in the car. The A/C doesn't mean cold air, you can use the full heat, on the A/C, on any position. I use the heat, on the floor, with the A/C, to warm and dry out my car in the winter. I tend to track a lot of snow into my car going in an out."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit title:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Common Ancestor theory. Does the thought that different early life forming on different parts of the planet seperate from the first organism completely disprove this theory, or is there evidence against multiple sources lineage? | [
"Evidence of parallel abiogenesis would damage the common ancesstor theory. The *thought* doesn't prove or disprove anything. Fossil record of life in multiple locations isn't necessarily evidence of parallel abiogenesis, as life can and does spread and become isolated. Genetic similarities provide evidence of comm... | [
"There is a lot of debate on the subject. And it very strongly depends on what you define as a creature. Evolution from microbes and proteins in the ocean is the answer to where larger creatures come from. Where the proteins came from is up for debate."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the answer:",
"neg": "Represent the answer:"
} |
How birth defects happen | [
"There are many causes and many different situations. Some defects are chemically triggered, a perfectly normal fetus exposed to thalidomide at the wrong point in its development will turn out with a defect. Some defects are genetic, through a copying error or expression of a recessive trait a fetus will develop wi... | [
"Improvements in detection, reduction of more lethal conditions, and environmental factors."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the paragraph:",
"neg": "Represent the paragraph:"
} |
Why did humans develop in Africa when there's so much more water/food in the Northern Hemisphere? | [
"There may be better resources, but I thought \"Guns, Germs, and Steel\" (_URL_0_) had a nice explanation about how civilization came about there. Also, understand that there was an enormous amount of human history (not recorded) prior to settling down and farming. Basically, the area around Persia had a lot of the... | [
"The reason why the climate appear to be different is because of the distribution of land. The southern hemisphere has a lot more water than the northern hemisphere. Since water temperature doesn't change too much throughout the year, the temperatures and climate in the south are more steady throughout the year. Al... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about history:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document about history:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
why do some sites have highly annoying add's to hinder your experience, do these sites or people that make the adds honestly believe that annoying people will increase the chances of that product being bought? | [
"Most of these ads are not actually for the websites you see them on. The web sites displaying the ads don't really care if you buy the products being advertised. They get paid for the number of times the ad is viewed and/or the number of times someone clicks on the ad."
] | [
"Nope they don't care it's blanket advertising. lets say on TV there is a 5 second pepsi commercial just someone drinking it. Eventually someone will want to drink a pepsi. Same with youtube ads it sticks to you, you remember it and subconsiously later you may remember the product and unconiously look for it on she... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the post:",
"neg": "Represent the post:"
} |
Can animals commit suicide ? | [
"I've heard of two cases where they have. One was a [dolphin](_URL_1_), which stopped breathing intentionally. The other was a bear that was having its bile drained for some eastern medicine thing. Not just once, that was basically the bear's life, being a perpetually wounded source. One day, she killed her cub, t... | [
"Can you not get an erection in space?!"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the text:",
"neg": "Represent the text:"
} |
What is happening when my desktop tower is making (assumedly) calculating noises? | [
"If you can hear calculating noises from your CPU, that's mighty fine hearing you have. The noise is most likely from your hard drive, moving the read/write heads back and forth on the platter."
] | [
"Speakers turn electrical signals into audible sound. When you power on the device, electricity is applied to the speakers, so they turn that into sound, usually that almost silent hiss. Buzzing could be interference from other components or inductance. The beeping on a computer is a signal. That beep means somethi... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the sentence:",
"neg": "Represent the sentence:"
} |
Why can the brain recall trivial things it was exposed to once, but when intentionally trying to learn something, requires repeat exposure and concentrated effort? | [
"It all has to do with novelty and priority. If someone says something strange, it piques your curiosity and doesn't require much effort to retain. It can potentially also threaten your existence much more than can, say, memorizing chords on the guitar. And learning a skill, you're blatantly aware of the insignific... | [
"If you're trying to remember something like a number or a sentence, it's helpful to run it through as many parts of your brain as possible. Reading, writing, speaking, hearing, internal monologue etc. are all handled by different parts of the brain, and if they all process the same piece of information, it's much ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query about Cognitive psychology:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text about Cognitive psychology:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text:"
} |
Why is the US president elected to a 4 year term, but members of the senate get unlimited 6 year terms? | [
"It is worth pointing out that the 2-4-6 year term system (House of Representatives, President, Senators) was put in place to prevent what the Founding Fathers feared most: tyranny. On any given election cycle, only 1/3 of the Senate is up for re-election so that one botched/rigged election cannot completely take o... | [
"So in the US we have elections every two years, with presidential elections every four. Midterm elections are years when we are not voting for the president. What we do vote for is about 1/3 of the Senate (2 senators per state, 6 year terms) and every representative in the house of Representatives (# depends on po... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the post:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
how does nonsurgical cool sculpting work to reduce fat? | [
"Basically they freeze your fat cells to death, nothing really more complicated than that. The dead cells are then absorbed by your body. Viola, less fat. Calling it \"nonsurgical\" I think is a bit of a stretch. \"Non-invasive\" certainly, but it is an hour long medical procedure during which a local anesthetic i... | [
"They don't do anything to make you lose weight they just temporarily squeeze the fat around into different areas and if you go too tight for too long you can cause damage to your ribs."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
apparently you cant die from holding your breath, explain | [
"If you're able to hold your breath long enough, you pass out and then involuntary breathing begins."
] | [
"in movies its to show someone is dead without showing they died. in real life, because they didnt tie them tight enough"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit comment:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit comment:"
} |
Why do my eyes hurt after looking at a screen too long? | [
"This is due to how the human eye focuses. It doesn't work like a camera wich gets set to a focus distance and then stays there. Breaking it down to eli5 level: If the responsible muscles rest, your focus is on the *very distant* setting. Looking at very close things is muscle exercise, and while your eye muscles c... | [
"Is it blinking? Probably a plane. Is it not blinking? Probably a satellite. Is it daytime? Probably glaucoma. Have you gone and rubbed your eyes really hard for a minute? Stop doing that. Is it daytime and the dots are moving in waves? You might have parasites in your eye. Is it daytime and you've recently had las... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the question:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why can't people drink the water in Mexico but fruit that was grown in Mexico and watered with non filtered water is ok to eat? | [
"The water is a problem because of bacteria. Bacteria will not survive being absorbed by the roots of a plant and turned into fruit. Water sprayed on the surface of fruit could potentially be a problem, but the bacteria that live in water wouldn't survive long out in the air and sun."
] | [
"The lettuce contamination is almost always from water contaminated by cows. So it could be because there's a huge beef farm next to the lettuce farm. Not too long ago I heard a story about just such a place in Arizona, where cow poo had contaminated the stream that a huge lettuce farm was using."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the document:",
"neg": "Represent the document:"
} |
Why do you get so hungry when you are high? | [
"In your body you have an Endocannabinoid system which has a role in appetite, pain-sensation, mood, and memory. It's suggested that THC the psycoactive compound in cannabis activates a receptor called CB1 which directly increases appetite when fired."
] | [
"Why do the glands in my neck burn like high hell when I'm holding back tears?"
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
what happens to credit card debt when people die? | [
"The balance will be taken from the estate of the deceased. If the estate does not have enough to cover the balance, the debt is written off as a loss. I have heard anecdotes of debt collectors chasing after descendants for the debt, but unless they have signed as legally obligated to paying it, there is no legal s... | [
"You just need to apply for a credit card and spend with it, but i can't stress this enough, don't spend more than you make. The last thing you want to do is to get into credit card debt, especially so early in life. And always pay your balance in full."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
If we have never seen or been to the planet's core. How do we know what it looks like or how it works? | [
"We used a lot different methods. The waves of the earthquakes act differently when moving through different materials. Measuring large earthquakes allowed us to get a good idea of what was going on in the earth just passed the mantle. The rest was speculation constructed from what we knew of the outer layers of th... | [
"The objective is \"Curiosity\". If you're looking for a reason like Pluto is made up entirely of gold or vanilla ice cream, which is possible, than you're missing the point. The biggest point of all satellites is to sustain our appetite for curiosity. Humans are naturally curious, and exploring is in our genetic m... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post about Physics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit sentence about Physics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit sentence:"
} |
While watching late-night TV, I see ads for buying gold and silver. Why should/shouldn't I do that? What's the deal? | [
"Generally, commodities like gold and silver can be a less volatile market than stocks or currency. However, most of these commercials are scams. Especially for buying coins. The amount of gold they have in them is tiny. like less than $1 worth of gold in a coin that costs $20."
] | [
"The companies are simply saying that cash is not reliable so they can convince people to buy gold from them. They don't actually think the cash is unreliable."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
How does a can of whipped cream work? | [
"Liquid cream is held in the can along with nitrous oxide, under pressure. This pressure keeps the nitrous oxide liquid too. When you press the nozzle, it releases the pressure. This causes the nitrous oxide to boil - turn into a gas - which has the dual effect of both aerating the cream and pushing it out of the c... | [
"For the fear that you might have sealed the beverage yourself and it might actually contain gasoline or other dangerous substances instead of an actual can of coke."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the title:",
"pos": "Represent the argument:",
"neg": "Represent the argument:"
} |
How do we take photos of the universe that aren't from Earth's perspective | [
"The photos either are taken from our perspective or are artist renderings based on data we've collected."
] | [
"We don't have any pictures of the Milky Way from the outside. If you see an image it is either an artistic interpretation or a picture of a different spiral galaxy. That said just because we are stuck in it doesn't mean we don't know what it looks like. We had very accurate maps of the earth before we ever went t... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit post:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit text:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit text about astronomy:"
} |
How does exercise benefit a human physiologically? | [
"A lot of hormonal stuff happens that I don't know enough about to explain, but basically, you damage your body and your body goes \"well shit, I gotta be stronger if this is gonna keep happening.\" So then it gets stronger. Note that if you do the same exercises forever, you won't keep getting stronger, you'll j... | [
"* Anatomy is the structure of the human body. * Function is what the human body does. * Physiology is what a normal, healthy human body does. * Pathology is what an unhealthy human body does. So physiology means healthy function, and pathology means unhealthy function."
] | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the query:",
"pos": "Represent the comment:",
"neg": "Represent the comment:"
} |
Why is an introductory class to something referred to as '101'? | [
"Because in American colleges, every course is given a 3 digit number. The first digit represents the year that most students are expected to take the course. Most of the first classes an American college student will encounter is Whatever 101."
] | [
"Because in K-12 every grade is using the same book. You are paying for the books, they are just done via your taxes since primary school education is (mostly) mandatory. College is optional as are the different courses different people take. If I'm taking Intro to Literature I have to buy a $4.99 copy of Catcher i... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit query:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit document:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit document:"
} |
Why are gas prices so high even though the US is producing the most it has in over two decades? | [
"That's a loaded question, but on an ELI5 level: Higher domestic production is just one small piece of the supply and demand curves that dictate gas pricing. Other factors, particularly supply of imported crude (which accounts for a very large percentage - 40-70% depeneding on who you want to cite - of petroleum pr... | [
"It's because the price of oil is dropping. _URL_0_ It went from a high of around $100 per barrel in July down to about $78 now, so that's more than 20% cheaper. The cost of gasoline at the pump is the price of oil, plus the cost to ship, refine, market, sell, and taxes. But the price of oil is the most variable ... | eli5_question_answer | {
"query": "Represent the Reddit question about Economics:",
"pos": "Represent the Reddit argument about Economics:",
"neg": "Represent the Reddit argument about Economics:"
} |
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