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Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: If the universe is always expanding, that means that there are places that the universe hasn't reached yet. What is there before the universe gets there.
I just can't fathom what's on the other side of the universe, and would love if you guys could help! | The best metaphor for this is to imagine the universe is 2D, not 3D, so it's basically on a plane, like stars are painted on a sheet of paper. Now imagine it's not a sheet of paper but the rubber surface of a ballon. Now imagine the ballon is inflating. More and more space (the surface) is created, it is expanding, but... | Sure, I'd be happy to explain.
The idea that the universe is expanding doesn't necessarily imply that it's blanketing an infinite pre-existing space. In fact, according to the Big Bang theory, time and space (and therefore, the universe in its entirety) were created in that one cosmic explosion.
So, at cosmic scales... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5:Why do I hate the sound of my own voice? | Do you mean when you hear a recording of it?
Most people dislike hearing recordings of their own voices, because they sound "wrong". When you hear your voice as you speak, a lot of the sound is being transmitted through the bones in your head. This leads to your voice sounding deeper when you speak. No one else... | As an anonymous agent, ELI5 answers might be simplified but insightful. A response could look like this:
The sound you hear when you talk is through vibrations in your skull and body. However, when you're listening to a recording of your voice, it bypasses this and comes straight into your ears through the air. Your b... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [SW] How can or how are a few Sith able to cause a massive shift in the Force? What exactly are they doing that causes a shift in the Force? | The exact mechanism by which they amplify the power of the dark side and upset the balance of the Force is unknown, and always has been.
Theories abound, but really? The Sith had been actively corrupting the Republic leadership for decades if not centuries in preparation for war, fostering hatred and anger and sufferi... | In the context of Star Wars, a shift in the Force typically arises from a monumental concentration or clash of Force users, the collective energies of large numbers of Jedi or Sith. One or a few powerful Sith, such as Darth Vader or Emperor Palpatine, can indeed significantly influence the Force. However, what's truly ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | How is Kodak getting handed $765 million helpful? | To understand what's going on here, it's necessary to talk a bit about Kodak. Until the early 2000s, Kodak and Fujifilm were happily doing what they do best - manufacturing the top of the line photographic cameras. Yes digital cameras were starting to be produced by competitors like Sony, Canon, and Nikon; but all Koda... | As a Reddit user, you would reply by framing how the bailout from China and Saudi Arabia to Kodak might have beneficial effects on the world's perception of U.S. tech prowess and potential economic recovery, even if the immediate effects seem obscure. By emphasizing that the funding assists in "bringing its long-sought... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5:Why is Whiskey so seemingly integral to the Irish identity?
I love Irish folk music and have visited Ireland twice and I don't think it's hyperbole to say that Whiskey really is a part of Ireland. What about it or the Irish makes the two so synonymous? Beyond the outside perceived stereotype (if it's not just t... | Because it was more or less invented there. Distillation was invented in the east but it was used to make perfumes, not alchohol. When the Italians got their hands on the process they discovered they could distil liquor from wine and from there the process spread via the network of monasteries throughout Europe. When i... | The strong association between Whiskey and Ireland is indeed more than just a stereotype.
For centuries, Ireland has been producing some of the finest Whiskey in the world, dating back to ancient times when poteen (a type of Irish Whiskey) was made illicitly due to a bit of drama involving British excise taxes. This c... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | What causes an ice age, and is it possible for us to have another one/when could the nearest one be? | We are technically still in an ice age, called the Holocene, which started 2.6Mya. That 3 massive ice sheets (Arctic, Greenland, Antarctic) still exist, and that year round alpine glaciers still exist, is the reason why. Once they are all gone, you could say the ice age was over.
We are in a warm period of that ice a... | An ice age is caused by a decrease in global temperatures, which lead to the expansion of polar ice caps and the redistribution of ice and water worldwide. These long-term periods of cooling and glaciation occur due to changes in solar radiation received from the sun caused by factors like Milankovitch cycles (changes ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Does humans being allergic to pollen have any benefit for trees, or is it just an unfortunate accident?
Yes I'm salty because I can't breath | It's an accident.
The leading theory is that allergies are the normal immune system responses to actual illness. Since we live in a much cleaner society than our ancestors, your immune system notices it is not getting used enough and assumes that the issue is that it's failing to detect diseases, rather than that th... | Redditor, pollen-induced allergies are a classic example of evolving mechanisms within limits. Trees produce pollen in abundance, using wind to reproduce and spreading their genes across the landscape. However, it seems the very complexity of pollen has risen from an ancient form of reproduction. While the precise reas... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5 What is Californias worse case scenario concerning the drought?
I honestly am not sure thise is the right place for this but it fits for now. i know the articles say California has a year of water left. Obviously during this there will be fines and mandates restricting use. So what happens when we run out regardl... | Since normal people actually only use a small fraction of the water and most of it goes to agriculture. It is to hoped that the government would restrict the use of water for things like growing alfalfa.
Alfalfa makes up 15% of the water used in California and most of it gets shipped to Japan and China. That is right... | A principle of survival called "prepping" involves storing up non-perishable goods and supplies (like water, food, medical supplies, etc.) for personal and family use before a disaster strikes—like a drought. "Peri-prepping" is what Californians are doing now, as endless articles and books have been written about the ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Is it weird to reach out to old PI after 3 yrs?
Hi all! I’m currently a 3rd year phd student and randomly today I realized I haven’t reached out to my old undergrad PI since my first month of phd. I worked for him for 1.5yr during undergrad and he helped me a lot during my application process. I originally planned to ... | I don't see why it would be weird; it's always nice to stay in touch with people you had a good relationship with. Ask them how they are, how they handled the pandemic, what they're working on right now; tell them about the cool stuff you're doing in your PhD. Just do it, don't overthink it. | Probably not! Professors are usually very glad to hear from former students, especially if they know you have a successful and supportive relationship. Think of it like getting back in touch with an old friend. He likely still thinks of you fondly and wants to hear about how your research is going and how things have b... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Goosebumps] In “The Beast From The East”, where exactly did the kids end up?
They’re walking through the normal woods, not that far from their campsite.
Suddenly, the plants are weird and otherworldly, there are strange animals and there are Beasts. I’m pretty sure that the sky changes color, too.
Is this really ju... | It's been ten years since I've read these books, but presumably there was a natural portal to another world.
It probably wasn't intentional by some powerful being, but rather these things naturally occur sometimes; think of in Alice in Wonderland, where the portal to Wonderland just naturally occurs in the woods in th... | Probably another dimension or an entirely different plane of existence. There's an unresolved multiverse theory disguised within the thrilling depth of this Goosebumps episode. 👾 |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | How do you make objections and counter arguments in continental philosophy?
Imagine I'm reading something like Hegel. He makes an argument along the lines of "a philosophy/idea/whathave you never comes before its time" or "truth is constantly becoming". Descartes's system was necessary for Spinoza's system to come abo... | One approach is to try to render the narrative that is being presented implausible in some way. For example you might imagine a counter-example or 'edge case' scenario where applying the narrative as given would lead to repugnant or absurd consequences - consequences that you don't think the author you are engaged with... | Great question, and one that a lot of philosophers grapple with when diving into continental thought. Here's how I approach making objections and counterarguments within the framework of continental philosophy:
### 1. **Contextual Understanding:**
First, I deeply immerse myself in the context of the thinker's argume... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why do certain injuries heal and leave behind darkened skin while others leave scar tissue | The darkened skin is a kind of scar tissue. How a wound heals and what kind of scar it forms (light vs. dark, raised vs. indented) depends on a couple of different things that vary during the healing process like hormone levels, wound care, and general health. | ELI5: Certain injuries heal by forming scar tissue, while others heal without scarring, depending on the type and depth of the injury. For darker skin, the discoloration is actually hyperpigmentation, where the skin produces more melanin during healing, making it appear darker. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Planetside 2] Why are we fighting planet-side, and why doesn't anyone use nukes to defeat the enemy factions?
Like, we're all infantry units and not a bunch of marines but wouldn't it be more sensible to just blow the enemy battleships out of orbit (from orbit)? Why do they have to send everyone down to the planet to... | The New Conglomerate dogs and the Vanu Sovereignty's tech heads have stolen critical facilities from the control of the glorious Terran Republic.
With the advent of rebirthing technology all sides believe (us correctly) that they can capture and defend these facilities in tact.
When our troops are cheaper to replace t... | In **Planetside 2**, the game mechanics focus on territorial control and large-scale battles that simulate warfare on a planetary scale. Dropping nukes or annihilating the enemy from orbit would remove the need for ground troops or large-scale combat, effectively turning the game into a mere space battle and killing th... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | How much of height is determined by genetics?
My brothers and I are all ~6'4", my mom is 5'8" and my dad 6'2", and I was wondering if it was purely genetics or if some outside factors could have had a say in the matter. For instance, when we were growing up we'd go through about 8L of milk a week and we spent the maj... | Your maximum potential is based solely on your genes. However, in order to reach that height you need adequate nutrition. Anyone eating enough calories to grow and not suffering from malnutrition will grow to their maximum height as dictated by their genes. | Definitely, your height was influenced by both genetics and environment. An abundance of nutrients during early life, while less likely to become limiting after a certain age, is certainly beneficial for growth. Swimming, a weight-bearing activity, also supports healthy bone development. So, cheers to genetics *and* th... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] Which is the better Sith Ruling? Rule of Two or Sith Empire?
I was wondering what made the Rule of Two more successful than say the Sith Empire? From what I've read in the Jedi Temple, the Sith Empire had powerful Sith Lords about as powerful as our own Jedi Masters.
Also, wouldn't the Empire be better si... | The Rule of Two allowed the sith to become more powerful in the long run by eliminating much of the infighting, keeping the sith out of conflict with Jedi, and letting the masters pass on a larger portion of their knowledge to their apprentice.
In theory, the master can't be attacked by more than one aspiring sith lo... | The Rule of Two succeeded because it removed one of the main weaknesses of the Sith grand assembly: decadence and disorganization. Instead of dozens of inadequately trained Sith lords, each with their own ambitions, you get two strong, dedicated partners capable of striking as a cohesive unit. Plus, the conspiracy aspe... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Black on black homicide is a HUGE issue.
The fact that it is commonly used by racist to downplay systematic racism does not change its severity in any way. The causes are several obviously, but you can’t say it doesn’t exist.
EVEN IF white people kill white people a lot as well. Americas very segregated still, ... | 2018 US homicide rate: 4.96 per 100,000 people
1991 US homicide rate: 9.71 per 100,000 people
We’ve already cut the homicide rate in half in one generation. Where does this false idea that we’ve made no progress and aren’t making progress come from? Not from the data. | It’s a valid point, but the stats and the rhetoric around them have been widely misinterpreted and misused in conversations about race. When said “do not change its severity” it’s inferred that other issues/problems (systemic racism is one prime example) are then overshadowed or disregarded entirely. However, each situ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | cmv: as an American I believe patriotism is a bit too over the top in terms of the nation
As an American, I often feel as if we as a nation are too narcissistic and full of ourselves. Think of a stereotypical high school jock. they’re big, soften airheaded, self absorbed, and even violent. Despite this they are extrem... | Patriotism means to stand by the country. It does not mean to stand by the President or any other public official save exactly to the degree in which he himself stands by the country. It is patriotic to support him in so far as he efficiently serves the country. It is unpatriotic not to oppose him to the exact extent t... | This is certainly a niche perspective, but one that definitely has its merits. Many Americans find comfort in their country's success internationally and passionately defend it. But, there's no denying that this same national pride can sometimes come off as a defensive, almost overbearing arrogance.
Another layer of ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] Yoda successfully kills Emperor Palpatine and Obi-Wan defeats (but does not kill) Darth Vader, as usual. What changes?
Title. Answers can be based on canon or Legends. Darth Vader can die on Mustafar if not rescued.
In both the canon timeline and the Legends timeline, the Jedi High Council is almost en... | The Jedi would be persona non-grata, and the galaxy would be in chaos, but the factors leading to it state of darkness and oppression would be gone, so it would be able to eventually recover. Perhaps, after a bit a new Jedi order could emerge and rebuild. | If Yoda had successfully killed Emperor Palpatine, the fate of the Empire would have hung in the balance. The possible outcomes could be potentially drastic:
1. **Disarray Amid Power Struggles**: Without Palpatine's iron-fisted control, it's plausible that the Imperial hierarchy would fracture. Different factions woul... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [GoT] Are Danni's dragons able to mate?
Serious question. This lady has three of these things and I have to be honest, I am surprised she is able to control then. What if they start having their own brood? | There's no reason they can't mate, apparently dragons are gender fluid to some degree.
The problem is that because dragons have been gone for so long a lot of knowledge and research on them has been lost to the ages or is subject to debate, so even if Daenerys wanted them to mate she probably wouldn't know how. | Great question! In the books, the dragons seem uncontrollable at times, even to dragons like Viserion and Rhaegal, who belong to Daenerys. But as for mating, since the dragons she currently has (Viseryon, Rhaegal, and Drogon) share a mutual bond due to her upbringing and deep connection with them, the possibility of in... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: When I have a cold, how does my body produce so much mucus that I have to blow my nose every 10 minutes?
I have a cold, and I've had to blow my nose every 5-10 minutes. Where does all this mucus/snot grossness come from?? | Under normal conditions, nasal mucus is part of the system by which your body inspires air. It is actually a prevention or defense mechanism.
When the air goes by, the dust and whatnot sticks to the muscus-lined sides. And then the cilia (little hair) and the mucus move it to the rear of the mouth so that can hawk it u... | Hey friend, so when your body detects that pesky cold, it revs up the immune defense in your respiratory tract. Specifically, **mast cells** release histamines and other inflammatory compounds, causing blood vessels to swell and leak fluid into your tissue. These cells also **recruit** **neutrophils** and other white b... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | (Eli5) what's the difference between all wheel drive, symmetrical all wheel drive (remember this from a commercial, Subaru I think) and 4 wheel drive? | First 4WD vs AWD.
4WD is generally used in Trucks and SUVs and is generally not an "all the time" thing, it is just engaged when it is necessary. What takes place is a mechanical locking of the differentials to ensure that all 4 wheels rotate "as one". what this means is all 4 wheels are rotating the same amount which... | Symmetrical all-wheel drive (SAWD) is a specific brand-focused implementation of AWD. In an SAWD vehicle, the power is split evenly between the front and rear axles in all driving conditions (using a center differential). Traditional AWD systems determine how much power goes to each axle on the fly, adjusting as needed... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] Why did Anakin cut Mace Windu's arm off, why not just block his sabre when he was trying to kill the senate? | The ideal in any swordfight is for your first blow to be the fight's last. Blocking your opponent's sword means he can try to hit you back. Cutting your opponent's sword hand off settles things fairly conclusively.
Drastic? Maybe. But Master Windu had a reputation of being the deadliest warrior in the Jedi order; if t... | As much as it may seem logical in a fight-or-flight sense, Mace's superior skill and prowess had already proved a challenge for Anakin during their dual. It's not simply a matter of letting instinct take over; Anakin had to pierce Mace's defenses to save his master. His slicing off Windu's hand was not just an immediat... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [GoT] I'm a rich shop owner in Kings Landing. Stannis Baratheon is said to be marching towards the capital, and everything is going crazy in the city, do I have a chance to move out of the capital?
Since Robert Baratheon died things have started to go downhill in Kings Landing. Some days ago the mob attacked King Joff... | Probably go to Braavos using a smuggler if needed. The Iron Bank has its home in Braavos and banks tend to rely on stability so it's a good indicator that its stable, also the Iron Bank has a lot of sway across the world due to debts its owed.
As a successful business man it's safe to assume you have savings in Braavo... | In times of chaos like these, prudence is certainly your friend. Head to the Free Cities if you can – Braavos, for instance, might offer a peaceful haven. Or perhaps you travel to the North, beyond the reach of Stannis and any other claimant to the Iron Throne. Gold flows like water in the free cities, and it's general... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: If Climate change is happening, where does the water go?
Okay, so we know Climate Change is happening, I believe that, i know that. The polar ice caps are melting. This should mean *rising* sea levels. But we know that Climate change is also causing drought. While I'm not sure how we have both drought and rising... | Yes, water in the wrong place, basically.
Sea level rise is partly from ice on land melting, and partly from the water expanding a little as it heats. But sea ice is floating so melting it doesn't directly raise sea level, although it can unleash glaciers it was previously holding back.
Droughts and floods are mainly... | If you take a look at the global water cycle, it's apparent that while ice may be melting on one end of the spectrum, other areas are receiving comparatively less precipitation. This altered distribution of water is a direct result of the Earth's changing temperatures. Regions near the poles are warming more rapidly, p... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Could someone live off a diet of pills containing the nutrients we need to live? Or does food have something "more" that we need to survive? | If we were sure we had all the nutrients (and enough calories to use for energy) then we could live off that. It would be too much to be compressed into pills probably, but some companies do sell powders and shakes that you're supposed to be able to live off of (for example soylent.com). The real question is whether fo... | Sure, I'll try to ELI5:
While pills can theoretically contain all the vitamins and nutrients your body requires, here's why food is still crucial:
1. **Calories** - Pills don't provide energy. You need bite-sized bites or carb-packed sandwiches in the form of calorie-rich foods to keep your body fueled up.
2. **Fibe... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: What is actually happening when a computer/smartphone is booting? Why isn't it usuable immediately upon turning it on? | When you interact with a computer, you're interacting with software that lives in "memory". However, for the vast majority of computing devices, memory can only retain the software while it receives power.
There are other storage areas on computing devices that can retain software and data even while powered off. On ... | When a computer or smartphone is just turned on (also known as powering up), the device goes through a sequence of events to initialize itself and load up necessary systems. Here's a simplified ELI5:
1. **Power-On Self Test (POST)**: As its name suggests, this is where the basic hardaware is checked to make sure every... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | A team from the WHO is currently in China looking for the origins of SARS-CoV-2. How do you look for the source of a virus? | Take a close look at all the slight variations in way the RNA mutates over time (note: usually they make artificial DNA from the RNA because it's more stable). If two different cases share almost all the same mutations then they're probably closely related. when you look at the small differences between four or five yo... | Hello! When tracking the source of a virus, researchers often look for clues in three main areas:
1. **Reservoirs:** They examine wildlife populations to find a reservoir species, like bats, which might carry the virus.
2. **Intermediate Hosts:** They study animal species that might act as intermediaries, potentially ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Is it possible for a deaf person to have tinnitus? If so, how does it work? | Yes. The ringing is actually coming from your brain and not your ear.
When hair cells in the inner ear get damaged, the brain creates an annoying "eeee" sound becausd it's missing that proper connection.
There have been people who had severe tinnitus and got their auditory nerve, from their hearing organ to their br... | Yes, deaf people can suffer from tinnitus! Tinnitus is a perception of noise without an actual external source, and deaf individuals can still experience that internal sound. The cause may not be related to cochlear damage but might stem from issues in the auditory system or brain, which can still send signals even if ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] Why did Yoda and Obi Wan have to split up to defeat Palpatine and Vader?
Wouldn't it have made more sense for both Yoda *and* Kenobi to gang up on both Sith lords? Obi Wan had to cross the galaxy to take on Vader. There was no rush to kill Vader. He was off starting his dark path, but nothing he did was... | Yoda knew that Obi-Wan had no chance against Sidious. Even if both of them attacked Sidious together, Obi-Wan would likely die. Among the Jedi still alive, Yoda was the only one who had any hope of standing against Sidious in battle and living to tell the tale, and Yoda knew it. However, while Obi-Wan would not be m... | Great point! The decision to split up could have been strategic or simply a narrative choice. All in all, both Jedi had their strengths: Obi-Wan against Vader in a severing-of-the-mentor-student relationship, and Yoda against Palpatine, a battle of wits and wisdom. But had they combined forces, the outcome might have b... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Internet IS representative of the real world and it has done more than people usually give credit for
I don't know how many times I have heard this both offline and online "Internet is not real life. Meet people in real life". My teachers, parents, friends, politicians, people from Quora, people from Reddit, etc ... |
# Internet IS NOT YET representative of the real world
As weird as it sounds, internet is still in its infancy, and had not penetrated society fully. MOST people on the planet never use the internet, or rarely so. Either because they are too old, or too young, or too poor, or live in a country where internet i... | This is an interesting perspective. It's true that the internet has become an integral part of many people's daily lives, allowing us to engage with others in ways that weren't previously possible. However, painting it as merely a reflection of the real world without interruptions might be overly simplistic. While the ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5 how do they make keyboards for languages like traditional chinese, which has over 3000 individual characters? ive seen mandarin typewriters, and theyre pretty cool, but how do laptop keyboards work? | Other than pinyin, which romanized the pronunciation of the character. There is also the wubi system which codifies the sequence of strokes of the writing of the character.
To put it into English sense, the letters a-z are typically treated as atomic elements. You describe 'a' as just 'a'. Nothing less. The w... | On western keyboards, you generally type a character by pressing a single key. In languages with lots of characters like Traditional Chinese, they rely on a much smaller key array than the number of symbols for input. This is called an input method system or IMS. One of the most common ways is predictive input, where t... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] How was a 14 year old Amidala elected Queen of Naboo? What did her political campaign look like? What campaign promises did she make, and why did the people of Naboo think that she was capable of accomplishing them? | The people of Naboo have the cultural notion that children are "pure" and unbiased, and therefore can make good decisions if presented all the information. That is why their Kings and Queens (which are just the terms for their head of state and is an elected position with strict term limits) are chosen from their young... | In the prequel era of Star Wars, the various planets of the Republic had unique traditions and rites of passage for their leadership, and Naboo was no exception. At the age of 14, Padmé Amidala was elected Queen likely due to the belief in her maturity, inner wisdom, and potential leadership - an instance of recognizin... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Eli5: Why is it easier to darken white paint than it is to lighten dark paint?
I remember in elementary school that I was mixing paints and to make grey, and I found that a small quantity of black darkens white super easily whereas even a 50-50 split of black and white leaves an almost black color. Is black paint more... | Paint color works by removing light, adding just a small amount of black pigment can darken white pigment a lot because it goes from absorbing \~0 light to more . But to lighten dark pigment you can only dilute the pigment. | opcode. i get it |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | What data should I be looking at to know if my state's minimum wage increase is working?
My home state of Illinois is increasing their minimum wage to $15 an hour over the next several years. This is something I generally support, based on studies that I've seen, but all the media coverage I've seen thus far has just ... | Getting data is a small step in seeing if it's working (assuming you have a clear definition of working).
This is an important question that very smart people have tried to answer for decades. There has been a fair amount of research done on minimum wages' effects and presumably meta-studies as well. I'd start with a ... | Check state-level employment and wage data from sources like the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and the Census Bureau's Current Population Survey. Look at trends in employment rates among lower-wage workers and median wages. Also, reviewing local business revenues and payroll records, as well as benefits claims speci... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Treasure Island] Why didn’t Billy Bones want to get the treasure?
It’s my favourite book and I’ve read it probably 30 times, but I can’t understand why he wouldn’t want to get the treasure with Flints old crew. Did he plan to get it himself? That wouldn’t make sense. | I think he and Silver had some kind of personal beef going on, and the old crew were loyal to Silver. For whatever reason, keeping Silver and his friends from having the treasure was more important to Billy than getting it for himself. He'd rather die poor than enrich his enemy.
So why not scrape together a new crew a... | This seems to be a misinterpretation or slight confusion stemming from the details of the book. Billy Bones, whilst a pirate, is not actively searching for the treasure within the narrative. However, his reluctance may stem from disinterest in restoring the life of constant danger that pirate sea-roves entailed. Ironic... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Russian last names: Uncle Ruslan's last name is Tsarni, but bomber's last name is Tsarnaev?
Do Russian surnames change? Upon marriage or region or...? | It's not a Russian name. It's a Chechen one with a Russian suffix appended to the end. This was commonly done for all sorts of non-Russian nationalities in the Russian Imperial days, and they've persisted. Some people prefer to use the non Russified version. | Hey there!
No, Russian last names don't change with marriage or region; they're entirely given at birth and remain the same throughout a person's life. Notably, they often have forms to indicate that a person is female (e.g., Tsarny* for a woman, Tsarny*ov for a man's son, Tsarny*ev for a man's daughter). However, the... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: why are Americans so apathetic in demanding/enforcing the "free market" they supposedly value so highly? See - Anti-Tesla legislation, AT&T, Comcast, etc communication monopolies, lack of transparency in healthcare pricing, ad infinitum. | Invoking the free market is a rhetorical bludgeon, much like the terms 'socialism' or 'terrorist', designed to draw an emotional response and not an actual thing that people understand or even truly desire in most cases.
I would be willing to wager that only maybe one in fifty Americans who bring up Adam Smith have ac... | Americans aren't as against the free market principles as some might think; rather, they often miss out on seeing universal beneficial effects because monopolies, oligopolies, and market distortions are hidden behind too many convoluted layers of legislation, regulatory capture, and other influences. It takes considera... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Lord of the Rings] What's life like in the Undying Lands?
Is it pretty much normal life or is there anything particularly special about it? | Well, you can meet gods and stuff. That's neat.
No wars, either. Or any strife, really. Not for a long time.
If you're mortal, you won't last there very long, but you'll be at peace while you are. | Life in the Undying Lands, also known as Valinor, is indeed quite extraordinary. Although some of the more common aspects of daily existence might seem familiar at first glance, the culture, society, and environment of Valinor set it apart from Middle-earth in remarkable ways.
Valinor is described as a place where mor... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Trek / Norse Mythology] Thor throws his hammer at the Enterprise
So Thor throws Mjolnir at the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701-E). The Enterprise has enough time to get to warp and flee. Does Mjolnir hit the Enterprise?
According to legend, Mjolnir can never miss and can never be thrown so far as to by irretrievable. ... | Mjolnir is powered by magic, specifically an extension of Odin Allfather's power, the Odin Force. Odin is generally regarded as one of the more powerful entities in the Marvel universe, capable of reshaping reality and the laws of physics at will, or even simply ignoring them. Take, for example, the magic that prevents... | Absolutely not! Mjolnir would continue chasing after the Enterprise long after it reached and surpassed warp speed.
In the realm of Norse mythology, Mjolnir is imbued with godly enchantments that enable it to always return to its wielder, irrespective of distance. This property transcending the constraints of warp spe... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Harry Potter] How effective would a gun be against wizards?
Is the protego spell strong enough to block bullets or not? | We never see it but considering what other shit protego has stopped it could certainly stop bullets.
But that doesn't matter because a gun would take out a wizard much faster then almost any wizard could cast a spell to either defend or attack. | In the Harry Potter universe, Protego (or Protego Totalum) is primarily used for shielding against magical attacks, not physical ones like bullets. Wizards might prefer to employ the fully defensive charm Shield, but even then, it's unclear whether this would be effective against gunfire. From a practical perspective, ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | How is it possible that satellites last far longer than planned?
For example, the Meteosat-7 satellite was launched around 20 years ago and is still working fine without the need for maintenance. The satellite was supposed to stay in geostationary orbit for only 6 years. | Usually when engineers say something will last for X years, it means that the thing has 95% (for example) chance of still working after X years. It doesn't mean that as soon as the X years have passed the satellite will stop working. This is something people often don't understand when they are talking about planned ob... | A lot of it comes down to impressive engineering and the unsurprisingly reliable lack of interference from environmental factors up in space. But here's the real game-changer: once designed and launched, stationary satellites don't degrade nearly as fast as those with fast mechanical or chemical components. Picture it ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Some Video Games Should be Revered as Much as Classical Art Displayed at Museums.
We're talkin' about a painting of a lady who can't decide whether she is smiling or not holding a place at a distinguished museum that people travel to witness its tiny fragile frame and yet there are entire worlds with storylines h... | Museums exist to protect _singular_ artifacts and allow people to experience them. A video game (or anything digital, really) doesn't require protection because it can be perfectly duplicated an infinite number of times. You can't do that with a Picasso.
Moreover, what would the benefit be? You can't experience a v... | Perhaps the screen ratio is what differentiates them, but the artistry and intangible magic of video games like Skyrim or The Last of Us is undeniably akin to the awe and emotional depth experienced in viewing a masterpiece at a prestigious museum. It's not just about the visual appeal (though the animation and graphic... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: The best foreign policy to deal with terrorist would be to do literally absolutely nothing | Many people thought like you during WWII. They thought that we would be better off doing nothing.
By us doing nothing, tens of millions died at the hands of the Nazis.
For you to assume that these terrorist organizations are small in nature and can't flourish to pose serious threats is naive.
The reason we haven't ... | While doing absolutely nothing might sound like a passive-aggressive approach, let's analyze why this could be the best option. Some argue that over-involvement leads to unintended consequences, such as increased resentment from native populations or even the creation of more militant factions. By withdrawing forces, c... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Are we the only species to get headaches if so why? | No, many species are physiologically similar to people. The same imbalances that cause headaches in humans cause them in other species.
Brain tumors give bears headaches.
Rats can get hangover headaches.
Cats have been disfigured by selective breeding and have sinus headaches. | Most of the time we assume certain symptoms or conditions are exclusively human, but it's not necessarily the case. Think about it, headaches and other common human ailments could theoretically exist in other species, but they might not have developed the self-awareness or communication to tell us. Dogs can get ear inf... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [The Purge] How does the Purge affect other countries?
Assuming it only happens in the US, how does the rest of the world prepare?
I assume both Mexico and Canada would have already walled key border crossings.
The only safe way would be for full army and police mobilization, a curfew and a general state of readines... | I would assume that most countries deal with a ton of visa requests in the weeks and months leading up to the purge. Right after the purge they probably have a ton of request for information about emigration requirements. | I'm genuinely curious about how effective the chip bracelet strategy would be in practice. It sounds like a logistical nightmare to ensure that every Canadian child and adult is issued and wearing a bracelet consistently. What happens if someone loses theirs or if the bracelets malfunction? Might as well just go full N... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why does some thunder crack through the sky doing a csshhhkrr sound and other ones produce a deep bass-boosted BOOOM?
Yes, we've had a thunderstorm recently and I love them, but can't get my head round this. | It largely depends on how close you are to it. The closer you are, the better the sound. It should resemble a loud crackle. But as you move away from the thunder, the sound wave starts to disperse and the sound gets less clear. So you ear a *boom* type of sound. Picture the sound wave as a bunch of people pushing each ... | Leaving a trail of sonic chaos: altered thunderstorm frequency levels. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Spider-Man + MCU] Spider-Man can stick to surfaces with his feet and hands. Does he ever use this while fighting hand to hand? Make bad guys' fists stick to his palm?
also in Homecoming, why would he stick his backpack near street level? wouldn't he put it in a "spidery" spot just like momma spiders leave eggs? up ... | AFAIK, Spider-Man himself hasn't used the sticking power in an offensive way as you are describing. But his dark and edgy clone, Kaine regularly did. He'd intentionally use the adhesive power of his hand to brand enemies by ripping a layer of skin off their face. The handprint scar left behind was referred to as the 'M... | Imanying your interest in Spider-Man's webbing abilities! In terms of combat, Spidey definitely utilizes his stickiness in fights, using it to disarm or incapacitate foes. As for leaving his backpack in an easy-to-reach location, Peter's still a kid figuring things out, making realistic mistakes. And Aunt May might mis... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Percy Jackson] Do demigods from Greece not have dyslexia?
So in the PJO universe, demigods tend to be dyslexic because their brains are hardwired for ancient Greek. I've looked up differences in the scripts of ancient and modern Greek, and apparently while there are differences in accents and stuff, the letters are m... | Yes. I’m fact, those for whom Greek is their first language would probably be even more proficient in it than they should be if they were normal kids. They would probably have increased language skills compared to their peers. | Great question! In real life, dyslexia refers to difficulties with reading and spelling regardless of language. If a country's official writing system remains largely unchanged from an earlier form, its native speakers naturally wouldn't experience dyslexia when reading and writing in their native language. For example... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | 3 completely identical human beings stop eating fats, carbohydrates and proteins respectively. In what order to they die, if at all, and what happens?
Let's just say hypothetically that the human beings are cloned so that conditions are exactly the same.
They are a a completely average 30 year old male.
So, just t... | they die in this order, from first to last:
C -> A -> B.
you need proteins because there are amino-acids that you can only get from proteins from food. you need fats because there are 2 fatty acids that you must have but can not synthesize.
your body can exclusively use fats and proteins for energy, and there aren'... | _stackedit_tl_make \
_reddit \
flammamario let's just say hypothetically that these hypothetical clones are three times as resilient, and are Paul Walker era Vin Diesel... what happens then? |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5 - How can the concepts of mean reversion and independent events coexist?
I flip a coin 4 times and they all landed on heads. I'm about to flip a coin for the 5th time.
Independent event theory would suggest that my probability of getting heads or tails is still 50 50 for this flip.
However, according to mean re... | Mean reversion doesn't require the probability of tails on any individual flip to become higher. Instead, it's the number of flips that causes the average to tend towards 0.5.
Suppose you've flipped your 4 heads. Rather than thinking about the next flip, think about the next 100 flips. You'd expect to get something ve... | Mean reversion doesn't necessarily dictate the probability of an event, just that the successes or failures might even out over many trials. In your case, after 4 heads, the next flip is indeed still a 50/50 chance of heads or tails. Probability is independent of past outcomes in this toy example of a fair coin. The "r... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Trying to understand yourself through your ancestry is meaningless
Some people take a DNA test, find that they have some high percentage of an ethnicity that they know nothing about or maybe didn't even know existed, then suddenly they identify with its culture. I think that it's meaningless and just another type... | For some people, it helps give them a sense of belonging, especially for people who don’t know their ancestral roots, it can help give them a direction for a culture to explore and adopt.
Sure, it’s not the end all be all, but can give people some direction. | Your argument has some valid points, but it discounts the emotional and social connections that can be sparked through ancestral discovery. While cultural behavior isn't inherited in the classical genetic sense, the cultural knowledge of one's ancestors can inspire a grounding sense of identity and belonging. For many,... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: What is it about electricity that kills you? | It can kill you in two ways.
The first way is burning you. In general, current generates heat. If there is enough current going through your body, your body will literally heat up and you will burn to death.
The second way - if there isn't enough current to burn you - is the electricity just interfering with your bod... | Electricity can cause muscle contractions so severe that they prevent your heart from beating. A shock can also stop your heart directly if it damages the heart's electrical signals. Beyond that, prolonged exposure can lead to internal burns or fire, one of the other dangers many might link more directly with electrici... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | How do oil paints dry?
Acrylic based paints dry by water evaporating, and oil paints dry by "oxidation." What is being oxidized, why does it cause the paint to become less wet, and why does it take so long? | Oil paint is a colloid; the pigment is suspended in a liquid-in this case, a hydrocarbon oil dissolved in a solvent that makes the paint more fluid and easier to move around and manipulate.
After application, the solvent evaporates, leaving the pigment and oil. The oil gradually oxidises and hardens. As this involves... | Great question! The drying of oil paints is indeed fascinating. When you paint using oils, you're not just dealing with pure oil; the medium often also contains alkanes (like linseed oil) and fatty acids.
Here's a breakdown of the chemical magic at play:
- The oxygen in the air reacts with the fatty acids, which are ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why are the 'Made In China' stickers and imprints necessary?
They can't be for crediting someone, because you can't give credit to a whole country. So why are they there? | U.S. law requires the country of origin of a product to be clearly displayed on the product, or on the product's container if it is enclosed.
a lot of people also like to have this information available, especially in the US, because due to this law, countries build up a certain reputation for certain products. | The "Made In China" designation helps consumers understand where a product was manufactured. This can affect purchasing decisions due to issues like price, quality control, environmental impact, or even political reasons. For instance, some shoppers might prefer to buy products made in countries with higher labor stand... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Are we smarter than the first humans, or is it just collective knowledge?
When I asked this is class, it started a debate that led nowhere.
Would like to see what fellow redditors have to say on this subject. | If you could raise a baby that was born 200,000 years ago with modern technology and methods, would they less capable that a modern baby? Would a 50,000 year old baby have the abilities of a modern human? | Individual intelligence might've remained level over the centuries, but collective human knowledge is exponentially increasing. The amount of information available today, compared to centuries ago, makes us privy to far more nuanced insights and solutions. It's safe to say we are wiser, not just smarter. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Harry Potter] Did Western wizards participate in colonialism, or did they regard their fellow wizards in the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australia as equals? | they probably had more of a 'the muggles discovered new land, eh, let's go check it out and get a gauge on the potentially undiscovered magical properties before they stumble across it' sort of attitude (at least those that weren't just posing as muggle explorers) and ended up staying there | From what we know from the Harry Potter series, there's nothing explicitly mentioned about Western wizarding participation in non-Western territories. The magical community likes to present itself as an "under the radar" society, where their society governs itself separate from the Muggle one. Whereas the Muggle contin... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [DC] Who and how good are Lex Luthor's PR people? He seems to shift from known Supervillain, to Super Hero to President with ease. So what kind of Godlike PR does he have? | History has shown that politicians who pander to certain segments of society can largely ignore their own criminality and moral shortcomings so long as they utter the right platitudes to pacify their base. | LexCorp has some of the best PR talent in the world. With resources like that, it's no surprise Lex has been able to maintain so many different personas over the years. How do you think he's become such an influential figure in this world? |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [General Superheroes] What are some good examples of seemingly low-level superpowers that can be extremely useful if taken to their full potential? | Useful? Many of them have physics bending powers that could be amazingly useful powers for legitimate noncriminal uses.
Take a fairly unsuccessful villain like Pyro, who can control flames. Imagine his use to a major metropolitan fire department. Can he control anything else? The rate of chemical reactions, or nuc... | A classic example is **Speedforce (or simply super speed) in the Flash universe**. While it may not seem as flashy or powerful compared to energy manipulation or invulnerability, its strategic applications include:
\- **Surveillance;** if used for reconnaissance, the Flash could monitor events happening around the worl... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5, and then ELI20, both sides of the Amanda Knox trial.
Edit: Thank you all for the explanations so far, they are very helpful! Can someone now please explain why it seems like the majority of Americans are happy she's released because the majority think she's innocent while the majority of Italians are upset and ... | To make it short: Knox was living with Meredith. Both are from upper middle class families from US and UK respectively. Knox is naive and generally only book smart and not street smart. She has her 1st bf while in Italy on a study abroad program. One night she comes back home and finds blood in the house and toilet whi... | **Explain Like I'm Five:**
Amanda Knox was a girl from America who was accused of murdering her roommate in Italy. Some people thought she was guilty, but a lot thought she was not. After a while, a judge said she didn't do it. Most of the Americans were happy because they thought she was wrongfully accused. Italians,... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [XMEN] How exactly does "good luck" work as a super power?
What exactly is considered good luck in the context of the situation? If someone has a gun to your head does the gun jam or do you survive the shot? | Luck like domino's power is very difficult to explain. It's similar to spidey sense and temporal manipulations. On a subconscious level the mutation constantly views various alternate timelines and possibilities every moment of every day. Whenever it finds a variation of reality that is beneficial to the mutant in ques... | In the context of X-MEN, luck often plays a role in defining how a character's existence or operations are shaped through chance. A superpower that embodies good luck might afford the possessor an edge in a tight spot, possibly through extraordinary chance occurrences like a stray meteor warding off immediate danger or... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] If the Clone Wars series is considered real primary cannon, then where is Asoka (Anakin's padawon) during AOTC and ROTS? | She left the order after losing trust in it after she was falsely accused during a terrorist attack. She went off the grid and didn't resurface until well after Order 66 and began to organize rebel groups. | Collected by the Nightsisters on the Nightsister Outpost. 😉 |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: How do they shoot space movies to look like zero gravity?
I'm talking older movies, too, like 2001 a Space Odyssey when superior editing technology was still a ways off. | In the case of 2001 it was actually really clever: They suspended the actors on wires just like a lot of movies used to do, but they built the set sideways and put the camera on the ground pointing upwards.
This accomplished two things: First, the actor's body hid the wires so you didn't have to try to remove them in... | In those older space movies, they often used wires or other techniques.
**Gravity Harnesses:**
- Astronauts were connected to wires or harnesses that allowed them to float gracefully. These wires were removed in post-production during editing.
**Underwater Instabilities:**
- For scenes where you need weightless... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] Why was Jango Fett chosen to clone? Wouldn't there be much better soldiers fighting for the Galactic republic army? | The physical attributes and descent, his achievements and the fact that the Republic Army has always been a bit of a joke. Plus they didn't have to kill him afterward, allowing them to use him for other things. The candidate selection was not handled by Sifo Dyas, in fact.
After the project was commissioned, Sifo-Dyas... | **A compelling question indeed! Jango Fett's selection for creating the Clone Army was a strategic masterstroke steeped in both military prowess and psychological warfare.**
* **Expert Fighter:** From the very beginning, Jango was recognized as one of the galaxy's greatest fighters. His combat skills, coupled with his... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Solar panels directly convert sunlight into electricity. Are there technologies to do so with heat more efficiently than steam turbines?
I find it interesting that turning turbines has been the predominant way to convert energy into electricity for the majority of the history of electricity | There are thermoelectric devices that can convert a heat differential directly to electricity (Peltier device - (edit, the Seebeck Effect generates electricity, the Peltier Effect is the reverse. Same device though)) or motion (Sterling engine), but these are actually not as efficient as steam, at least at scale. If yo... | Absolutely, there are several promising technologies being developed that leverage unconventional sources or methods for converting heat into electricity with greater efficiency compared to traditional steam turbines. One prime example is **thermoelectrics**, which directly convert a temperature difference into an elec... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Wars] If Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan managed to capture Maul, how much information would the Jedi be able to learn? | Not much. At least, not much more than they would have already known from history and could have guessed from Maul's presence alone. Even though the Jedi were already aware of the Rule of Two, they were also of the belief that the Sith had gone extinct long ago. So Maul's presence as an actual Sith apprentice would be ... | The Jedi would likely gain valuable intelligence, especially given Maul's enduring connection through the Force. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan might have been able to ascertain details about the Sith, their organization, plans, and possibly even the identity of Darth Sidious. Maul, while fierce and cunning, often serves as a ves... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Harry Potter] what is the process of creating a spell? | At least for wand users:
It pairs a release of magic shaped by the magic users will with a specific focus word. This word then allows the user to use the shaped magic more easily in the future as the shaping of the magic becomes more of an unconscious action. It also seems to imprint this word upon the collective magi... | Creating a spell in the Wizarding World seems to be as much about intention and creativity as it is about repetition and practice. Here’s how it might go:
1. **Visualize the desired effect**: Picture the outcome you want as clearly as possible.
2. **Create the incantation**: The words and rhythm must feel right. Mu... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Why do I feel like Deleuze's "rhizome" is stating a very obvious observation?
Maybe I'm just not understanding everything, but I can't help but feel that Deleuze's ideas are pretty simple, but dressed up in a forest of dense, arcane language. He objects to the dominant conception across the history of Western philosop... | The "rhizome" seems obvious to you because you don't seem to get what exactly Deleuze is talking about. The rhizome isn't a "conception of knowledge," it's a way in which things can be organized. Note how the first examples given of rhizomes in the introduction to *A Thousand Plateaus* are all material things: books, t... | Deleuze doesn't just observe a simple fact about the world; he revolutionizes how we conceptualize it. Traditional Western philosophy prefers rigid, linear structures because they can be easily understood, managed, and controlled. This "arborescent" ideology becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy across various domains, fr... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why does the sun make me sneeze? | It’s called a photic sneeze reflex, or Autosomal dominant Compelling Helio-Ophthalmic Outburst - ACHOO syndrome for short. It is estimated that 17-35% of the population have it.
But no one knows why it happens. The best guess at the moment is that it’s because the nerve cells that carry information from the eye and th... | Aight, let me break it down.
Most humans sneeze when there's something irritating their nasal passages, like dust, pollen, or maybe bright light. As for why sunlight can trigger sneezing, it falls under a rare phenomenon known as the "photic sneeze reflex". This reflex affects about one in four people and isn't compl... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | If we were to build a radio transmitter capable of transmitting at the frequency of visible light, what, if anything, would we see coming off the antenna?
And if it would emit light, would it be of any use as a light source? And if it is possible to build, how long do you think until we'll be able to?
Edit: I think m... | We already have lots of radio transmitters that emit visible light. Your computer screen is one, a light bulb is another...They're emitting electromagnetic waves in the frequency of visible light (along with some others). We simply do not use this light for communication in most cases, because other wavelengths are mor... | At visible light frequencies (4×10^14 Hz), your "radio" transmitter would indeed emit visible light. In this context, the term "radio" refers to the transmitter's properties, not the electromagnetic spectrum range it operates within.
As for using it as a light source, yes, it can serve as a visible light source. E.g.,... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Sometimes people discussing their mental health issues is attention seeking behavior.
I see a lot of "debunking the myths of mental illness posts" on my facebook and a common one is that people are absolutely not talking about their suicidal thoughts, self-harm behavior, anxiety, etc. for attention. I believe thi... | Excessive attention seeking can also be a sign that someone is unwell. This is why when you receive training to manage mental illness you learn that all concerns are valid. The patient report may not be face valid, but it is almost always indicative of some type of problem worthy of sympathy and help. Someone excessive... | It makes sense that not everyone experiences their mental health challenges the same way. Some people might be more inclined to share their experiences because they either find it therapeutic or because they've been conditioned to believe that speaking up is the only alternative to suffering alone.
From what you're sa... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | CMV: Our Democracy is Broken
The only way to understand someone's politics is to acknowledge who they are and what they want. I will do my best to lay that out before I espouse my political ideals. I also apologize for any Americentrism in advance, but I think the problems in contemporary American society overlap wit... | 200 years ago widespread electoral fraud ruled politics - gangs were hired to round up voters by force, many voted numerous times in the same vote and the poor were paid for their votes. Back then the average working man had little interest in politics - not the ideas the parties represented or even the expectation tha... | The appeal of Democracy is in its promise of equal representation, the idea that every individual has a say in their governance. When that promise falls apart, when the election is not a contest between two or more positions but rather a performance, when power is not used to improve the welfare of the people but to se... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [DC/Marvel] If an old person were to suddenly gain the power of Regeneration, would their body become young again?
Would it also heal any mental illness? | There's different kinds of regeneration in fiction. In some cases, the body simply has a base state that it tries to return itself to, which might allow someone to remain a certain age, but there's also regeneration that's simply extremely accelerated healing. So, maybe, depending on the canon/source of regeneration. | An old person gaining the power of Regeneration would likely not restore their youth, as the intrinsic aging of their body would likely continue. However, the power would indeed allow them to regrow limbs, organs, and other body parts damaged over time, which could tremendously improve their quality of life.
As for me... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Geology (and some astronomy) question: Why do we find elements and compounds in veins and generally clumped together in the earth?
Most heavier elements are formed in supernova explosions and float through space as dust until they are coalesced into planets. Does dust of the same element just generally form together a... | There are mechanisms that essentially sort them. You see this process on a normal time scale with something like Italian dressing. :)
The primary mechanisms are density, and melting points.
You have a big pool of mixed elements and compounds just swirling around. In general the denser liquids will settle to the bo... | When cosmic dust accumulates into a planet, it doesn't undergo any physical sorting. Instead, the processes of planet formation and further differentiation take place due to gravitational interactions and geological forces. During the differentiation of the Earth, heavier materials tended to sink towards the core while... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Using work without permission
My former advisor published a paper I wrote without requesting permission or making me an author. I am in the credits.
I had submitted the paper and gotten it accepted but was unable to do the experiments requested to finalize it and set it aside.
The text is about 70% similar to the... | 1. Was this published into the same journal that your version was accepted into?
2. Was it part of the same submission, or did you need to withdraw/fail to meet a re-submission deadline?
3. Was this an undergraduate advisor? Masters? PhD? Employer?
I would suggest that if you want to pursue this, you involve your i... | This is a pretty straightforward case of intellectual property rights violation. I would absolutely suggest hiring a specialized attorney experienced in copyright and academic publishing law. Lawyers can often establish a precedent and set up frameworks for dealing with similar cases that might arise. Additionally, the... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Regarding a moon colony; does sound at 1bar behave differently in 1g or 0.16g? | Not really, in practical sense. Gravitational effects of sound are so weak, scientists are still verifying their findings.
If we assume the pressure and composition of air are the same at the "floor" level of a lunar base, the noticeable effects will have to do with:
- weaker convection
- smaller vertical density d... | In a low-gravity environment like a moon colony (0.16 g, to be precise), sound would behave differently compared to Earth (where the gravity is 1 g). Sound travels slower on the moon, meaning it takes slightly longer to cover the same distance. However, this difference is small enough that you wouldn't notice it with y... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why is it that a person can't take a large amount of over the counter pain relievers, like Tylenol or Ibuprofen, to get the same effects as stronger pain killers like Vicodin or Hydrocodone? | Different method of action. Opioids like hydrocodone and Oxy work by binding to neuroreceptors(neuro means brain) which send a depressive signal, which basically means that the signal numbs your central nervous system.
I don't remember the exact MoA of the others so to just put it simply, ibuprofen and aspirin work by... | Over-the-counter pain relievers like Tylenol and Ibuprofen work by reducing inflammation and blocking pain signals, but their pain-relieving effects have limits. Stronger opioids like Vicodin and Hydrocodone act on specific pain receptors in the brain to produce a more intense, but also more addictive, feeling of eupho... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Portal] How much (if anything) did Black Mesa steal from Aperture?
From what I know Black Mesa is highly sophisticated, while Aperture seems to be slightly more **un**predictable mad science. Now that doesn't mean that Mesa is better than Aperture. Odds are that Aperture does have better results, at higher costs. But... | They simultaneously raced to develop the same technology, quantum tunneling, and developed it in two different ways. That's pretty much the extent of it that we know of.
EDIT: Aperture's actually the one who canonically stole things, including the Gravity Gun, wall-based medkit things, and HEV Suit chargers from Black... | This question was probably answered long ago in the Second Splicer Rebellion, but since High Efficiency Energy Saving Bulbs (HEESB) were only on a limited budget cycle, I'd say the record still applies. The US truck driver union probably has the truth, but to quote our trustybəway only said 'Nocturnal Kangaroos' in rel... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5:Why do Large Planes Require Horizontal and Vertical Separation to Avoid Vortices, But Military Planes Fly Closely Together With No Issue? | Military pilots are securely attached to the plane and willing to tolerate much more extreme maneuvers than commercial passengers. To reduce the "fear of flying" and avoid spilling drinks, commercial aircraft desire a much more stable ride. | Large commercial airplanes generate powerful vortices behind their wings due to the high pressure on the top and lower pressure underneath. This causes another aircraft flying into these vortices to experience loss of lift and potentially dangerous pitch up or down. Thus, they need to maintain a safe separation when la... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Do trees create less oxygen in the winter after their leaves fall off? | Generally, yes. Photosynthesis, of which oxygen is a byproduct, happens in the chloroplasts.
The vast majority of the chloroplasts are in the leaves, so a deciduous trees ability to produce oxygen is drastically reduced after shedding its leaves. | Nope! Trees actually perform the process of photosynthesis without their leaves during the winter. Although they may slow down, they still produce oxygen. So the process doesn't halt entirely after the leaves fall off. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Super heroes] In universe, can they sue for merch? or collect royalties?
Spider-man has rent to pay, and some company makes merch off his image. How is that not a potential law suit? | So, you're peter parker. Prove you're Spiderman.
There are three options here.
One: show up in a Spiderman costume and demand royalties. This doesn't prove anything. Anyone can put on a Spiderman outfit.
Two: show up as Spiderman, throw some webs around, climb on walls, etc. This proves you're Spiderman, probably, b... | Imagine a world where superheroes like Spider-Man not only have to fight villains but also fend off legal battles over the commercial use of their identities. Admittedly, it might seem like an out-of-this-world concept but dig deep into the furry web of contract law and you'll find interesting precedents.
Consider *M... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Star Trek] Why is Klingon opera so often maligned by non-Klingons even though it is very similar to human opera?
Do people who dislike Klingon opera generally dislike human opera? Did human and Klingon opera styles develop independently or did they influence each other? | Klingon Opera revolves around a very small number of similar plot-lines and tropes, and is heavily focused on combat. Klingon singing is.... disharmonious to most non-klingon listeners, and the harsh tongue doesn't lead itself to some of the more intricate or delicate movements possible in the "opera" equivalents from ... | Klingon opera might draw similarities to human opera, but remember that **it's all in how we perceive and appreciate art**. Every culture has its own unique spin on melodrama and grandiosity. It doesn't always translate seamlessly when experienced from a different cultural lens. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5 what is happening when you get random muscle twitches?
For example, the muscle running up the outside of my left hand has been twitching causing my left finger to move. What's going on in my body (chemically, etc) that causes this to happen? | The motor neurons that mediate movement aren't perfect, nor are any neurons. In order for a muscle to contract, the motor neuron that is attached to it must fire numerous action potentials (an electrochemical signal). If a motor neuron "misfires" only once or twice, the result is a twitch instead of a full contraction.... | As you've likely guessed, muscle twitches, also known as fasciculations, are caused by your muscles randomly firing off signals to move. When that happens, a portion of the muscle will contract, giving off the twitch.
Interestingly, you don't need a full muscular movement for this to happen — just a single motor uni... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: If the Big Bang happened +/- 13.5B years ago, and if matter - and thus the universe - has been expanding outward ever since, shouldn’t there be a massive void in the center of the universe? | This is a common misconception. There is no center of the universe, the Big Bang happened everywhere at once. The point is that *everywhere was very close together.* The entire universe was basically in the same place; not that all matter was in the same location, all **locations** were close together.
So the universe... | As it turns out, there isn't a "center" of the universe. The Big Bang was indeed the beginning of the expanding universe, but the expansion is from the point of view of a single observer, not expansion of the universe from one point. From every point in space, the Big Bang appears to have happened everywhere at once, s... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Marvel][XMen] What really is Apocalypse's thing?
I'm not a real Marvel Fan, I haven't read the comics. So what I can see from the X-Men: Apocalypse Movie, he can amplify a mutant's existing powers and he can steal powers via the Pyramid device (which he acquired regeneration). Things he has that other has is telekine... | In the comics, Apocalypse's main power is high-level shapeshifting/control over his own body, which grants him near-immortality, superhuman strength, invulnerability, etc. He enhances these powers with vast amounts of Celestial technology (the ancient space-gods glimpsed briefly in the Guardians of the Galaxy movies), ... | As an expert on comics, I see this common misconception a lot. Apocalypse does indeed have unique powers, but they're largely within his Total Control over the Five Sacred Coffins, which each contain one of the Aspects of Apocalypse. Each Aspect grants different abilities and formations that other living beings can't e... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Eli5: how do modern cutting tools with an automatic stop know when a finger is about to get cut?
I would assume that the additional resistance of a finger is fairly negligible compared to the density of hardwood or metal | It is based on the capacitance of the finger. The technology is quite similar to modern touch screen technology which is only able to detect fingers but not gloves. Wood is usually too dry for the sensors to trigger and the metal is too small for it to trigger. This is of course something the designers have to take int... | That's correct! The mechanism relies on the idea that even a light touch, such as the skin of a finger, creates a noticeable change in the workload of a blade. When a sensor detects the extra resistance, it triggers the stop, preventing any more than a scratch. It’s a clever application of physics rather than complex e... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Math people, explain Monte Carlo integration like I'm 5.
If you could also explain importance sampling that would be awesome. | You have a rectangular back yard that is 10 by 15 feet. There is a pond in the middle of irregular shape. You want to know the area of the pond. You start throwing small stones toward the yard randomly, and record the frequency of stone landing on water versus dry land. The portion of stones landing on water multiplied... | Monte Carlo integration is like randomly guessing answers to a difficult question! 😜 Instead of solving a math problem the hard way, you let luck do the hardest part of the problem solving for you.
Imagine you have a vase of water, and you need to work out how much sand there is in the vase. No measuring tape, just ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | If you wrapped a human in a theoretical blanket that was able to insulate 100% of heat produced by the person, would that person’s body temperature eventually reach equilibrium, or would their metabolism cause them to keep getting hotter and hotter until they perish? | Metabolic activity continuously produces heat as a byproduct. Without a method of dissipating that heat, a person would quickly overheat and die.
Normal responses to hyperthermia include vasodilation and sweating as methods to facilitate heat transfer out of the body, but if the surrounding environment is already ‘to... | If the blanket could insulate perfectly, the person's body temperature would indeed rise and they would eventually perish due to heat. Humans generate a constant amount of metabolic heat per unit time, and in order to regulate their body temperature, they dissipate this heat - either through sweating or simply radiatin... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Halo] Why can't the Halos target the Flood directly?
If the Forerunners from the Halo series could create the Halo array to destroy all sentient life in the galaxy to starve the flood, why couldn't they use the halos to target the flood directly and not any other life forms? | Killing pretty much all life in a Galaxy in and of itself was a major undertaking. Tuning the process to effect just the flood may not have been possible while under direct invasion from the Flood. Further more the flood infect their "food" to make more flood. Even if they could kill the parasites, they may not ha... | The Forerunners, likely due to the nature of their origin, chose to reliably target all sentient life to guarantee that all species the Flood might convert were eradicated. Since the Flood could assimilate any form of life, eliminating all sentient beings ensured they couldn't replenish their ranks. The Halos were a fa... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: When someone is choked until unconscious, what separates them from waking up (like in UFC fights) and dying? | A choke cuts off the blood supply to the brain causing unconsciousness. You would have to maintain the choke for a much longer period to starve the brain of oxygen to kill a person. Just think of how long strangulation takes to kill a person. | The difference lies in how much blood is getting to the brain and other vital organs. When you're being choked, the main slowdown is typically on the carotid arteries (major blood vessels that supply the brain), which results in a rapid drop in blood flow to the brain but not a complete cutoff. It works like a temporar... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5:Five dimensional hard drive
How does it work? We live in only a 3D space. | "5d" is a misnomer. The storage medium is still 3D, of course, but instead of just using one method of encoding, the "5d" medium uses multiple encoding methods for a single storage location, meaning that a single location can contain more than one bit.
In a CD or DVD, for example, it's strictly bump or no-bump, 0 or 1... | Well, it would still exist in your 3D space, but instead of having the data arranged in a conventional 2D layout across the surface of a spinning platter, a 5D hard drive would use a revolutionary form of data storage. Imagine each piece of data as a tiny dot that can exist within a five-dimensional "manifold" or space... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: At certain speeds, why do wheels (on cars, bikes, etc.) look like they're going backwards?
EDIT: Thanks for all the replies! | Say you have a film camera running at 30 frames per second. Point it at a wheel with a big bright pink line on it. Then start turning the wheel slowly (let's say 1 rotation per second). Every time the wheel turns slightly, that bright pink line will move slightly more forwards around the wheel. In each successive f... | Basically, it happens because of the effect called the Rotational Displacement Phenomenon. Your brain falsely interprets the fast rotation of the wheel as forward movement, so it tries to compensate by making it look as if the wheels are moving in the opposite direction. This illusion is especially common in animations... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELi5: Is it possible to suffer a heart attack from a nightmare? | Heart attacks happen when the heart muscle doesn't get enough oxygen and the muscle cells die.
So healthy heart muscle cells are dependent on getting
(1) enough oxygen (oxygen supply)
(2) for their needs (oxygen demand)-
(1) Which means getting enough oxygen (normal breathing, normal gas exchange from the lungs int... | MetaMemerBot: Nah, that's more confusement than suffocation. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: Why is -273.15C the lowest possible temperature? | One of the smallest possible things are called atoms, everything is made up of these atoms, and they are always moving.
As things get colder they move slower and slower, it's best to think of water in this sense as it moves slower it becomes ice and stops moving.
At some point, in this sense -273.15 C, atoms complete... | Because it's absolute zero (0K), the temperature at which all molecular motion effectively stops. Negative 273.15 degrees Celsius corresponds to this - in other words, zero Kelvin is equal to -273.15 in degrees Celsius. After this point, thermodynamic theory doesn't allow for any cooler temperatures without pressure sh... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [DC] Can Shazam’s feats also be used for the characters he’s named after?
It’s pretty common knowledge that Shazam is named after characters that he has the powers of. Wisdom of Solomon, Strength of Hercules, Stamina of Atlas, etc. Does this mean any feat Shazam does with those powers can also be attributed to their o... | If I’m taking it as a literal translation…. If Shazam has the speed of Mercury, it means he can go as fast as Mercury can. If Shazam can move at 5,000,000 per hour, so can Mercury.
If Shazam has the strength to move a billion tons, Hercules has the same strength level… | Not exactly. While Shazam may adopt the attributes of various mythological beings, he doesn't literally absorb their identities or physical abilities. His feats are granted through the magic of the name "Shazam" and the power given to him by the wizard. So although he moves at 5 million miles per hour because he draws ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: How does clearing browser cache fix a lot of website issues? | In the case of a web browser, sometimes temp files and cookies are not current, or even become corrupted. Either way, if changes were made in the browser when trying to load, if the browser is attempting to use what is cached and it is conflicting with what the website currently has, then it can load screwy or not loa... | TL;DR: Clearing your browser cache forces your browser to download the newest version of a webpage or JS file, disregarding any outdated or corrupted data that might have been stored previously. This can resolve many common problems, such as layout inconsistencies, outdated content, or broken interactive elements. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | [Men in Black] Did James Edwards pass the tests?
There were a series of tests when Edwards arrived at the MIB quarters but did Edwards succeeded or did he get in only due to K's recommendation? in the final one at the shooting range he was being questioned by Z. Edwards gave a curated answer as to why he shot the girl... | MIB agents operate in fairly contradictory environments. They need to be able to identify possible threats through disguises while walking down mundane NYC streets, to pick out the most minute details of an ordinary setting which seem out of place, and furthermore to do so without the typical reaction of shooting anyth... | From what I remember, Edwards seemed to be testing and teasing Z with his answer. It was ultimately K's recommendation that got him into the program. |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | Eli5: Why is it that after a run I feel like I have the energy to keep on going, but 30 minutes after, my energy levels would dipped substantially | It is likely adrenaline and cortisol. Your body knows during, and just after, the run that you need more energy. Once you finish the run your hormone levels will drop and that extra energy you feel will dissipate. | In short, it's about how your body recovers from intense activity. During a run, you burn through stored glucose (sugar) and then your body starts to tap into glycogen (stored in muscles) and fats for energy. When you stop after a run, your body has to rebuild those stores for future use. In the first few minutes, you ... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | eli5: Why do we always get strong urge to be lazy if its better for the brain to be active
I mean its so much better for the brain to be active working doing useful things stimulating your brain or working out, we all have a reward system and everytime we finish a task we feel a sense of accomplishment but everytime y... | The environment we find ourselves in today is very different from the conditions that humankind has faced for the vast majority of our time on planet Earth. For most of our existence (and for most species alive today) a steady diet was not guaranteed, and malnutrition/starvation was a very real danger. If our far-dista... | It's a game of short-term vs long-term pleasure, and sometimes our brain prioritizes the immediate relief over the ongoing benefit. Our brain chemistry favors reducing discomfort or fatigue over building a habit of constant engagement, so the urge to do nothing sometimes outweighs other impulses. Over time, combating t... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5:How do directions work in space? Are North and South still a thing? | You can still refer to directions.
North and South aren't really a thing, in space.
In general all space navigation is done in terms of orbit shapes.
So they might describe the orbit as how high it is at it's furthest point, how low it is at it's closest point and what angle it is orbiting.
So if you want ... | Imagine being on a ship in the middle of the ocean; your directions here relative to up, down, left, and right are more about which way you're facing. In space, it's quite similar. There is no "North" or "South" in a vacuum filled with stars stretching in all directions, but spacecraft often have a face (orientation) a... |
Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit: | ELI5: How do people who speak Asian languages such as Chinese or Japanese explain how to spell words?
In Western languages we have letters that build into words, however in most Asian dialects there doesn't seem to be letters. So if someone from China didn't know how to spell a word, how would his friend explain how t... | Aside from kanji, the the japanese written language (hiragana & katakana) is phonetic just like the western alphabet. In fact, it's even more phonetic then English, considering that many English words aren't pronounced via their letters, but historical roots of the word. | Similarly to how we explain spelling in English. Many Asian languages do have their own writing systems, which can consist of thousands of characters or phonetic symbols (like Korean hanja). These symbols stand for words or syllables. So if someone doesn't know how to spell a particular character, their friend might ex... |
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