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[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How do some people become the mod of dozens of subreddits?" ]
You'd have to ask the people who made the decision to add them, we don't know. The thought process for each individual mod invite was probably different. I'm not sure but it's also possible that they did stuff like CSS work. There are some people who do design and CSS stuff for lots of subreddits so they have mod powers, but they don't actually moderate much. We had /u/gavin19 on our staff here for a while while he helped us out with some stuff, for example, and we could have left him on if we wanted even though he never did any moddy work.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is Russia now invading Ukraine? What are the economic and political advantages of this despite clear outcry from the international community?" ]
The Ukraine was the USSR's second largest economic area, behind Russia itself, and was a major industry center: vehicles (ground, air, and spacefaring), military equipment and small arms, and a decent amount of crop production. If Russia annexed it, it would again enjoy these benefits and boost its own economy. Basically, Russia wants to start a new USSR.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How do DJs give live concerts if all of their sounds are digitally created and recorded? Seems to me they could just hit the play button, which would defeat the purpose of a live performance." ]
DJ here. When it comes to DJs with ACTUAL talent (and there are a lot of hacks in the industry doing the above), it's about using technique (mixing, cutting, scratching) to create one large music piece out of many other music pieces, as well as creating entirely new pieces of music out of elements of others (mash ups). For example, for a show tonight, im doing a live mash up of an Odesza track with the vocals of "black hole sun." I do it live, so i use the decks to manipulate the vocals (using cue points and controlling the speed) and layer it over the track in a coherent and believa ble fashion. this live mashup is then mixed in from another track, and mixed out into the other track seamlessly. Coupled with everything else, the point is to tell a story live to the listener that blends and moves seamlessly as if one piece.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do people fling their arms around when they're falling?" ]
Arm and upper torso movements are half instinctual, and are a method to regain your balance. To test this, stand up, and lean your body to one side as far as you can. Let your arms move where they may. Notice how the farther you lean, the more your opposite arm stretches out to try to counterbalance you? You can override it if you really try, but then other muscles will take over and your trunk will shift to keep you from falling. That's your spinal cord and cerebellum's natural response. Your brain and spine do thousands of tiny corrections each time you get up or take a step, moving your arms, torso, head and legs in minute amounts to keep your balance. That's how you stay upright. So, think about it this way. If it takes thousands of little movements to maintain your balance when walking in contact with the floor, what do you think your brain feels you need to maintain balance when it can't feel *anything?*
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Is Aspartame (aka Artificial Sweetener, 951) actually harmful to your body?" ]
The short answer is "no". The longer answer is "yes, but not at any dose that you could realistically consume". Lots of things are harmful if you eat/drink enough of it. Water and oxygen are two substances that we absolutely need but that are quite harmful if we have too much. Aspartame is something that we don't need at all. In fact, we can't use it to make anything that our body wants or needs. However, there are some toxic substances that do occur when we eat aspartame. Formaldehyde (the stuff that they use to embalm dead bodies) is one. However, to get any harmful dose of formaldehyde, you have to eat so much aspartame that you're probably in danger from sugar, caffeine and possibly water toxicity too.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Orthodox Christianity" ]
Orthodox Christianity originated in the Eastern Roman Empire, after the Great Schism. It had a ''Pope'', but he was called the Patriarch. The Orthodox Church divided, mostly by nationality. Mass is called Liturgy and it is conducted in the local language, instead of Latin. Priests can marry and have children. There is a Hierarchy that is almost identical to the Catholic one. Think of it as a more liberal Catholicism divided by nationality. EDIT: We also do that crossing yourself thing with three fingers instead of five, there are no benches in churches, priests grow beards. Also, not all Orthodox Christianities are the same. For example, the Serbian Orthodox Church kept many pagan traditions such as [Badnjak] (_URL_0_) and [Slava] (_URL_1_). Some Orthodox Churches use the Roman Calendar instead of the Gregorian one. (Some use the Roman calendar, but celebrate Christmas according to the Gregorian calendar- it's pretty weird.) For example, Christmas is tomorrow for me.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does Japan practice whaling?" ]
"Illegal" is an interesting term to use. Japan could have avoided that tag by simply registering an objection to the IWC ban on commercial whaling in the 1980's, which is what Norway did, or by not signing up at all. Greenland, Canada and Norway catch more whales than Japan. USA catches slightly less than Japan. The numbers become even more skewed if one counts the mammals that IWC doesn't cover, including porpoises. Greenland, population 56,000, catches around 900 whale-category mammals per year, and more than 2000 porpoises. In context, Japan's dislike of being singled out is probably understandable. Most things probably aren't an essential part of a nation's cuisine. Japan used to identify around 100 cuts of whale meat, which suggests it was not a marginal foodstuff at that time. Also, if you've been to a Japanese school, you've probably eaten whale.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What did Native Americans know in advance of hurricanes and how did they know it? What about animals?" ]
I'm not sure of they did or not but you have to remeber that villages and gatherings of people were relatively small and didn't have a lot of "stuff" like we do today. Homes weren't as big or as complex, there were no cars or sheet metal etc. So storms wouldn't have been as deadly and as destructive as they are now.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How do they figure out how many calories are in my food?" ]
Calories are a measure of energy contained in the food. To calculate the amount of energy in the food we need to release it. This is done by burning it completely in an oxygen atmosphere. To measure how much energy is released they may use something called a "bomb calorimeter." Basically it is a chamber (in which a known weight of food is burned) surrounded by a known amount of water. They measure how much the temperature of the water increases. By knowing some properties of the water, how much water there is and how much the temperature of the water increases, they can calculate how much energy was released by burning the food. One calorie is the amount of energy needed to heat 1L of water from 14.5ºC to 15.5ºC.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why was a constitutional amendment required to prohibit alcohol, but no such amendment is needed for the prohibition of other drugs?" ]
*Just spitballing here, but this is what I'm thinkin...* Drugs aren't banned, per say, as alcohol was during Prohibition. You never hear people charged with having "illegal" substances, only "controlled." It's a longstanding tradition in government to regulate the whole living hell out of anything you don't think you can get away with straight-up outlawing. Guns, for example.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does the universe form multiple galaxies instead of one super galaxy?" ]
Galaxies are gravitationally anchored by extreme masses like supermassive black holes at their cores. A "universal galaxy" would require a single core that is able encompass the whole universe within its dominant gravitational influence. Gravity is too weak to work so effectively across such universe-spanning distances. The idea is that there would always be a more local dominating field for matter to fall into. The presence of multiple accretion points like that across the universe pulled matter into the relatively distinct clumps we see today. The universe also continued to expand between these clumps to push them apart and further highlight the distinction. "Why was the universe lumpy in the first place?" is a big unknown.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Does your body burn more calories in natural heat v air conditioning?" ]
You actually burn more calories in cold temperatures. Your body works harder when cold to stay warm trying to keep homeostasis. That is why people who live and work above the arctic circle tend to need 4000-6000 calories a day to maintain proper weight and energy levels in comparison to the standard 2000 calorie diet most need.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How are point spreads for sports betting made and how are they so accurate?" ]
An expert picks an initial spread. And as bets are made, the casino moves the spread until there are equal amounts of money on both sides of the bet. So the bettors are pretty much doing all the work. So long as the initial guess isn't too far off, the casino will make money.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Was there a term for civil war before the American Civil War, or are we just unoriginal?" ]
Interestingly enough, the American Revolutionary War could be classified as a civil war as well, and the American Civil War could be classified as a revolution (and in fact, some people still claim that calling it the Civil War is a misnomer and inappropriate to what it was).
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How come after i stare at a computer/tv screen, when i look away my vision is blurry for a few minutes?" ]
Your eyes are adjusting from the light on your monitor to the light in your surroundings. They differ in brightness and your eyes need to adapt to these lighting changes. To avoid straining your eyes too much, you can direct your gaze away from your monitor for a few moments and blink your eyes every so often to keep it moisturized. I've found that this helps lessen eye-fatigue effectively.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How do some medicines cause weight gain if you eat and exercise the same while taking them?" ]
It affects your sense of hunger and satiety, making you more likely to eat more. Yes, if you hold everything constant, you're not going to gain weight (well, you still might - some medications make you retain water).
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why has the Disappearance of Madeleine Mccann continue to appear in the news even though she has been missing for almost 10 years?" ]
Because of the odd circumstances, the international nature of the investigation between UK and Portuguese authorities, and the wide reporting that it saw in the beginning, so it gets followed up on. Also, the family is well-off and has done a lot to keep it in general public consciousness.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why can phone cameras record in 4K but not take 4K still photos?" ]
The photos are higher res than that... if you want them smaller just downsample or crop them.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "the difference between a theoretical physicist and a \"normal\" physicist. Also a rogue physicist versus one that's none rogue." ]
A more ELI5 explanation for you. Theoretical physicist: works only on paper or computer making new hypotheses or models. Experimental physicist: tests hypotheses using real world experiments. Hybrid physicist: does both theoretical and experimental work. Popular media physicist: explains science to the general public. May or may not do real science in his/her professional life. Rogue physicist: not really an official term. Just a guy who may have hypotheses that are more 'out there' than most. Crackpot: self appointed types who write about faster than light phenomena, perpetual energy machines etc.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How long would it take to heat a bathtub of water with a lighter?" ]
171 hours, 11min Assumptions: No loss of energy 80 gallon tub Start/finish temp: 68F/103F Heating power: 40 watts (consensus found online for a candle)
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What's the difference between multi-grain and whole grain foods?" ]
Multi-grain means that several sorts of grain are used. The opposite is something that would only use one kind of grain. Whole grain means that it uses the grain with its "skin" (the bran). The opposite is refined grain, which removes the "skin", like for the flour that's used to make white bread. So a product can be both whole grain and multi-grain if it uses several sorts of grain, and that the "skin" of the grain isn't removed.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What exactly am I downloading/uploading on a speedtest?" ]
I've looked into this. I was not able to recognize a file format. Here's how I'd do it: DOWNLOAD TEST: I'd make sure the client pulls data and then deletes it quickly. You don't want to have a producer/consumer problem throw of speeds so it's not going to let the browser cache the file on the local dist. I'd guess it's just random bits, or...if not, it's treated as if it is. For this reason, i don't think you need to worry about viruses - the data is never re-constituted into a file and never persisted on your local computer. UPLOAD TEST I'd have the client generate data. I'm pretty sure that speedtest is doing this because it doesn't persist the download file (in memory and on disk would both be observable) so it doesn't have a big file to upload. So..it generates data. Plus, it can easily pace data generation without having to worry about file reading slowness, so it's better results regardless.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why, when you rotate a glass of liquid with ice cubes in it, does the ice not rotate with the cup?" ]
Inertia. Everything in the universe is trying to carry on the way it is - moving or stationary. When you push yourself across the floor on your office chair (don't pretend you don't) when you stop pushing, you carry on. When you push the glass round, the ice wants to stay still. There's very little friction between the cup and the ice - so there's not much force pushing it round.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does pain tolerance differ in people?" ]
There's really no one answer for this. It's thought to be partly genetic, partly psychological and partly due to gender (females tend to have a higher pain tolerance than males, something to do with oestrogen). Current thinking (on my phone, can't link) is that two people can actually tolerate the same level of pain, person one gets on with their day (which could be due to cultural reasons - complaining is a sign of weakness), person two complains, cries, pops pills and is bed ridden. Their actual level of pain is the same but person one is mentally stronger.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "The Godel-Turing Conclusion" ]
Godel showed that mathematics wasn't a sturdy building made up from a foundation of sturdy well defined bricks. Instead it was more like the buildings in the drawings of [M. C. Escher ](_URL_0_) full with weird and wonderful loops and logical contradictions from which there is no escape. Turing drove the point home by showing that these problems would also not be solvable with a computer. And worse, there would be absolutely no way of knowing if a problem was just very hard, or truly impossible. So the figures in the Escher drawing would never know, if they are just walking on a damn long stairway, or an infinite one.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What causes clogged arteries? Can it be reversed? If so, how?" ]
Clogged arteries are caused by plaque, which is the result of a variety of substances building up on the walls of the arteries. It can be treated by adapting a healthier lifestyle consisting of balanced diets, regular physical activity etc.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "If glass is transparent,why do we still notice that it's there?" ]
For one, sometimes they're not completely transparent, just mostly transparent. Second, the glass is refracting light -- bending it as it enters and exits the glass. This creates a distortion of the light coming through. We can recognize that this distortion has a shape and we see the glass. This is also why a perfectly clean glass pane can look like a doorway. If the entire thing is uniformly distorted, it doesn't look distorted at all, and you walk right into it.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Let say we dig hole into earth, how is the atmospheric pressure down there?" ]
Atmospheric pressure increases with depth, just like it decreases with altitude, because you have more air above you pushing down. However, you'd have to have a pretty deep hole to feel any noticeable effects - to feel 2 atmospheres you'd need a hole nearly 4 miles deep, because air is relatively light. Contrast this with water: you only need to dive to about 10m / 30 feet to feel 2 atmospheres.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do our voices sound different when heard back through recording?" ]
When you hear your own voice, the way it sounds to you is affected by your skull, jawbone, etc. To the second question...it's because it's not how we are used to it sounding. It's the same as why we don't like how we look in photos - we're used to seeing ourselves reversed in a mirror.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "The current emerging market selloff" ]
Interest rates on long term bonds are rising in the U.S. and a rate rise is expected in the U.K. pretty soon, so emerging markets - except, for example, Brazil - are looking less attractive for bond yields. There are other things at play, like the massive devaluations in Turkey, Argentina and Venezuela, and the less significant but more long-term devaluation of the rupee in India. The "sell-off" in Argentina, Venezuela and India is based almost entirely on their own monetary policy.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "When running, what causes a stitch?" ]
It's breathing on the same time that one foot hits the ground- that can cause your diaphragm to cramp since one side is constantly stressed. Try and vary your breathing so the same side isn't striking the ground and it should be fine
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is the maximum volume on TVs so high?" ]
The max volume produced is determined tv's hardware (how loud the speakers can get), the tv's software doesn't take that into account. There are times when you get a super soft source, either from a different channel, a game console, etc. There are some channels where my volume is 25/100 and others when it's 75/100 due to the loudness of the two sources.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "The current panic about Greece leaving the Euro" ]
The problem is that, when *any* country leaves the Eurozone, it establishes the precedent that the Euro is the kind of currency which countries might decide to stop using. That doesn't encourage people to invest in the Euro.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How do Lego bricks not lose tension/force through repetitive play?" ]
It's how the bricks are made. The LEGO term is "clutch power". You have the top cylinders on the top of the bricks and then on the inside you have inner cylinders. They do give out but after a LONG time. Here's an example _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How is the president protected from aerial assaults?" ]
There will be a no-fly zone in the space around where the President will be. The Secret Service will coordinate with the FAA on the routes POTUS is taking. If an aircraft comes too close, it will likely be scuttled. _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How much of a risk are birds to airplanes, and why haven't we solved that problem?!" ]
I believe Mythbusters did an episode on what a bird could do to a mere car's windshield. Now, compare that to forcing a bird through a turbine (which is only meant to handle air). So yes, it's a risk for any aircraft, but most pilots know to avoid flocks, most planes generally fly far above where birds fly (except takeoff and landing), and many planes have multiple engines so they can keep going even if one gets seagulled.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Consenting, or not consenting to police searches. Of your pockets or your car." ]
Clearly and repeatedly state "Officer, I do not consent to any searches". Do NOT physically resist a search, even if it's an illegal search. Ask "am I being detained or am I free to go?" If you're not being detained, leave. If you ARE detained and then searched, keep your mouth shut and lawyer up, and assuming your lack of consent was caught on the cop's dashcam, you can get almost anything they found on you thrown out of court. Do NOT try to argue with the officer, beyond stating that you do not consent. Do NOT try to lecture the officer about what the law says. Do NOT physically resist, even if the officer is acting illegally.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "why does the navy's new rail gun have and explosive discharge if it's powered by electromagnetic energy?" ]
[This thread](_URL_0_) at r/askscience should help you out a bit.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "With all the big shiny telescopes in the world, why can't they simply show 'moon landing deniers' proof of the Apollo landings?" ]
You could. Apollo 11 (and 14 and 15 I think as well) placed mirrors on the moon so you could laser measure it's distance. But moon landing deniers have likely come up with some crazy theory to refute this by now.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does a head massage feels so good if there are no muscle on top of your head?" ]
Well, firstly, there are plenty of touch receptors there for feel-good fun, but in terms of muscles, there are muscles on the side of the head, and the muscles on the front and back of the head are continuous with (i.e. attach to) a [layer of tissue](_URL_0_) that covers the entire top of the head. A head massage can move this layer around (and manipulate muscles for relaxation or whatever).
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What made Coca cola so much more popular than Pepsi?" ]
I'm going on a limb and just saying that it's the fact that Coke came first and Pepsi came later. Another example of this is the fact that Pepsi made Gatorade first and when Coca Cola tried to make a similar drink, Powerade, they also didn't do as well in popularity.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do candles smell strongest when you blow them out?" ]
The scent is often oil based. If you burn the oil, you destroy the scent. But blowing it out, allows it to smolder thereby vaporizing the oil scent and filling the air with droplets of scent. (The same principle with incense sticks when you light them on fire, they smell stronger when you blow out the flame).
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are there high tides on the opposite side of the world at the same time?" ]
[This image explains it well](_URL_0_). Basically, tides are caused by the moon's gravity. The closer something is to the moon, the more it is affected by its gravity. So, the part of the ocean closest to the moon is pulled towards it, causing high tide. However, the part of the ocean farthest from the moon is not pulled towards it as much as part of the oceans in the middle, causing another high tide. The fact that the influence of gravity can change so much over such a short distance is cool. In some extreme cases (like the moon Io around Jupiter), these "tidal forces" caused by the different amounts of gravity can actually stretch the ground and cause it to heat up. On Earth, it just sloshes our oceans around... but on Io, it causes the entire moon t have constant volcanic eruptions.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What is the difference between Hepatitis A, B, and C?" ]
The simplest way to put it is that they are different viruses that all cause liver inflammation (hepar = liver, itis = inflammation). Here is a chart that shows the differences in detail: _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Balance sheet vs. Income Statement vs. Cash Statement" ]
Income Statement: has all the revenue (sales) and expenses (cost of operating the business) and ends at net income Balance Sheet: snapshot of your company's assets, liabilities, and owner's equity. Cash Flow Statement: starts with your net income from the income statement and shows the flow of cash in your company - what is the cash that is being spent going toward and where incoming cash (not sales) comes from (i.e. Operating Activities, Investing Activities, Financing Activities). After adding in-flows and subtracting out-flows, you end with remaining cash that goes to your balance sheet.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "where does thought come from" ]
Think of an equation (x+5 for example). The solution you get out of said equation is determined by two things. What the equation is (x+5), and what value you give x. Now lets apply that to a human brain, which is simply a large biological machine that runs according to complex chemical reactions. The brain is the equation, and the variable will be any outside stimuli. Outside stimuli comes in, runs through our equation, and the solution is the outcome, whether that is a thought, action, etc. Don't forget that the equation changes over time though.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is the \"Censor Bleep\" tone so consistent across most media?" ]
Traditionally audio equipment is tested by using a reference tone. This is just a generated sound wave, usually with a frequency of 1000 Hz, because that seems like a good enough number as any. Sometimes they'll also play a 100Hz and a 10,000Hz tone to test subwoofers and tweeters, but it's basically an easy way to make sure the volume is adjusted appropriately and all the crossovers are setup right. Since engineers were already testing with a 1kHz tone, they just kept using it when they had to play something over profanity since it was easy to use it again. There's no big technical or legal reason to use THAT sound, it was just easy to do and got the job done.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Net Neutrality in the US. Go." ]
you can only get 60 channels on cable. Without net neutrality you may eventually be limited to 60 websites.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How are there enough cows to supply the over 15k Macdonalds and Burger Kings in U.S." ]
First, a single cow produces an awful lot of hamburgers. A grown steer produces about 500 pounds of beef, which is 2000 quarter-pound hambugers. Second, there are enormous herds of cattle on ranches in the rural parts of the US, which you generally don't see because they're not along highways, but the US is enormous and can easily hold them. The state of Texas alone has more than 11 million cattle, or 22 billion hambugers worth.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What is the significance of the UK leaving the single market?" ]
I worry about the potential impact on the banking sector in the U.K. Love them or hate them, they are an enormous part of the economy. Not being a member of the single market could force banks to move to Frankfurt and reduce the UK's importance in world business. I'm certainly no expert, just an observation so someone may correct me! Can a uk based bank still trade on that market if the U.K. Is not a member?
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are social service systems in the US less efficient than in countries such as Sweden?" ]
"Social service systems" is probably too much of a generalization, since I've never seen any indication that things like pensions, unemployment insurance, or housing assistance are less efficient in American than elsewhere. In fact, [as Paul Krugman points out](_URL_0_), our Social Security system is actually very efficient. Healthcare costs have [some specific causes for rising quickly](_URL_1_), among which are fee-for-service payment structures, preventable health risks like high obesity and tobacco use, and very expensive technology. By the way, the 60% you quote includes not only healthcare, but Social Security and many other programs like TANF, SNAP/EBT, and housing assistance. From what I can tell, Canada spends at least this much if not more on comparable programs.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do so many canned foods have that same \"cat food\" smell when opened?" ]
Um, can you elaborate on what canned foods, other than canned cat food itself, that you think smell like cat food?
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are ribs called \"Spare\" ribs and not just ribs at Chinese places?" ]
Spare ribs are actually a different cut from what is just generally called "ribs." [Here's the Wikipedia entry for pork ribs. It details all the different cuts.](_URL_0_)
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Confederate flags in the midwest. IE: Wisconsin, Ohio, etc. I'm from a small town there but I don't get it." ]
In the South, the Confederate flag has connotations with southern heritage and states' rights. In the North, the Confederate flag loses the southern heritage symbolism and is used as a symbol of resistance to the Federal government. Though, there may be other factors as to why some people fly Confederate flags: people move out of state after all.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does the ice cream machine in McDonald's/Burger King breakdown so often?" ]
Soft serve ice cream needs to be constantly stirred to keep it from hardening in the machine and to flow out when released, which means that the machine is constantly running for something like 18 hours a day. Because it needs to stir an enclosed canister of pressurized sugary milk, there need to be seals where the shaft of the motor transitions through. These seals require food-safe lubrication, as well as detailed cleaning of the mechanisms on a regular basis to prevent the dairy products from spoiling (dairy is a high risk food item, and spoils easily). This means a complex piece of equipment which is subject to long periods of high wear operation must be regularly broken down, cleaned, lubricated, and reassembled by the type of people who work at a fast food restaurant. Frankly it is a miracle that it works at all.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is it that sometimes a post will say \"5 comments\" but when I click on it, it will show no comments?" ]
If a comment is deleted before it has any replies, then it won't appear at all, instead of as [deleted].
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How does this paper saw burn the wood without even darkening the paper?" ]
the rim of the paper is getting darker and also this disk is wearing of so fast that the paper is gone before it is hot enough to burn.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is wiretapping yourself illegal?" ]
She wasn't recording herself, she was recording others. And arrested != guilty of.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are plants green instead of being black? Wouldn't black allow for more energy absorption." ]
Too much energy can actually kill the plant. It can lead to formation of what are called free radicals, highly reactive molecules that contain oxygen atoms that cause chain reactions in their chloroplasts, destroying them and thus stopping the plants from being able to photosynthesize. Some plants even contain special pigments called carotenoids whose sole function is to absorb energy to prevent this from happening.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are pc games generally cheaper than their console counterpart" ]
The difference between PC and console games is that console games have a chunk of their cost go to the manufacturer of the console as a royalty fee. This article may be useful: _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are people more inclined to vote for a certain political party rather than someone with more experience or with better ideas?" ]
People are most inclined to do what's easiest and whatever they think is best for them. Learning the candidates and what they bring to the table is (unfortunately) more work than a lot of people want to put into it -- and it's even harder when you can't filter out what's true, and what's BS.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How would \"The Homer\" bankrupt Powell Motors?" ]
Firstly, it's *The Simpsons* so realism is always going to be second to comedy. I think we can assume from the context of the show that production on the Homer had already begun. Setting up a production line for a new model isn't quick, so if he was intending to sell the car in the near future that work would have already started. There's also the bad publicity to consider. Making a big announcement that totally flops will tank a company's stock price, which might leave it vulnerable to a takeover. If the CEO doesn't control the board it is also likely to get him fired.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does swimming parallel to shore work better than swimming back to shore?" ]
You only do that to escape a riptide, a riptide is a stretch of ocean (and let's call it vertical), so swimming straight towards shore keeps you in the riptide, meaning you are getting pulled back out, so you swim parallel for a distance to escape it. [Image](_URL_0_) > and even had to do it once and it (obviously) worked. I hope you weren't swimming only at a slight angle the whole time, taking you far away from where you started. You only needed to to it for 10-20 ft.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How come males can ejaculate so voluntarily during a \"wet dream\" without physical activity, yet can't do so when they're awake?" ]
Ejaculating during a wet dream is not voluntary. That would mean it was done by the will of the person having the dream.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Watt, Volt, Amp. Go!" ]
I like the water analogy. Think of the flow of electricity like the flow of water: Voltage (Volts):Water pressure Current (Amps):Water flow rate Power (Watts): How fast you can make the water do work, = VxA Battery:Water tower Of course, like all analogies there are several flaws with these, but the general idea works well for understanding concepts. The capacity of a battery is how much current it can provide (at its rated voltage), and for how long. For example, 1500 mA-hours at 1.5V. (In reality, the voltage will drop over the lifetime.) So it is a measure of how much energy is in the battery.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What neurological processes are involved when \"brainwashing\" people?" ]
Brainwashing is not a scientifically accepted concept. It's an idea that was made up in the mid 20th century and that people found interesting, but is not supported by evidence. [source](_URL_0_) Instead, what is happening is ordinary training. People are learning what others believe, and what they are rewarded for, and they start to comply. This is a normal part of human learning in a group environment, sometimes called *social cognition.*
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Where does Okay originate?" ]
Nobody knows. There are probably a dozen different stories as to its origin, and no real evidence to support any of them. For example, one theory is that it started as a humorous misspelling: "Oll korrekt" meaning "All correct". Some say that originated in the military, others that it had something to do with the 1840 Presidential election (but they disagree with who coined it and why). Another says that "okay" is roughly how you pronounce the French "aux quais", "to the quays", indicating that some package was fit for transport. Yet another theory is that "okeh" is Choctaw for "it is so", and was used to translate "amen" (which comes from the Hebrew word for "may it be so"). Basically, it's a complete mystery.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does it feel like there's less viruses on the internet nowadays?" ]
*Fewer And the purpose of viruses has shifted from being some piece of code that just fucks your system up, to being motivated by money. Modern malware is mostly targeted at businesses, websites, banks, etc. The home user isn't really a lucrative target. There are still viruses out there, but most end user AV software is good enough now to keep most of it from ever affecting you. The major hackers want to exploit databases to steal information from a business to ransom it or sell it, steal millions of credit card numbers at once, or other attacks that can make them a lot of money. There isn't much money to be made in having your individual home PC break. There are still viruses out there, and they can affect your computer, but you AV will *probably* detect it, along with safer browsing habits.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do we pronounce \"used\" and \"supposed\" differently in different situations?" ]
They are technically different words. In your particular example, "used to" is called a modal verb. "Used" however is just a regular verb. The most common example of the same word, different pronunciation is read. I read that book last night. I like to read. English is weird.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What is happening (chemically) when you season a wok (or pizza stone, or cast iron skillet)." ]
Some metal is very porous, filled with tiny microscopic holes. When you season it, you are filling these holes with the residue of burned off oil. This makes the pan a much more flat and even surface, which makes the food less likely to stick.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "how does a HOA (home owners association) have any power?" ]
The buyer of the property was sold it under the condition they agreed to abide by the HOA. This agreement requires any new buyer to sign the agreement in kind.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "We can manipulate an organism's DNA to emphasize several traits. What would it take to make a DNA from scratch, creating an entirely new organism?" ]
For some definitions of "scratch", we have already done this. We can build bacteria DNA from scratch, insert it into an existing bacterium, and have it use that DNA instead, building new bacterium as it divides. That synthetic DNA is mostly just a copy of the original bacteria DNA, but they did intentionally make changes. The real challenge is making truly novel DNA. We understand the letters and a few words, but we are still far enough away from understanding its language to do more than copy it.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do torrents for TV shows come out within hours of the episode, but for movies it often takes weeks?" ]
For TV shows, someone has the recording equipment and software all prepped and ready for the airing of the show. So all they have to do is record it, encode it, and create the torrent. In contrast, movies first show in a theater. Theaters have policies against recording, so whoever does it typically has to actually work in the theater or know somebody who does and sneak in the equipment.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What do i have to do as a foreigner if i want to move to the US and live there permanently?" ]
It depends... short version: You need a permit of stay, a visa. Depending on who you are and what you want to do, there are different types that you can apply for. You can get a permanent one for different reasons: Being married to an American citizen and resident. Being able to do a job that no one else can do - you can be a famous scientist, sports star or actor, or an important CEO, engineer, etc. The most famous option is the green-card lottery - the USA are giving away (I think) 50,000 Visa a year this way.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How does hair detangler work?" ]
The conditioner itself had a high moisture usually including some keratin protein, the same that's found in your hair, when the hair is moisturized (there's a difference between soft and moisture) it creates more slip in the hair so is easier to slide out of knots.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does fresh air make us feel less nauseous?" ]
It's the oxygen in the air that makes you feel better, not just the air. Fresh air has more oxygen than an unventilated room. The oxygen gets into your blood and makes everything run smoother, because we run on oxygen.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "When is a jury applicable in court and when does the judge decide?" ]
In the US, juries making findings of fact, and judges make rulings of law. A judge decides whether evidence is admissible, whether lawyers are asking proper questions, and runs the court. Juries decide whether witnesses are telling the truth and what the accused intentions were.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why does a country downstream from a dam suffer a hit to its water supply? Doesn't the net water flow stay the same?" ]
One big factor is evaporation. A reservoir generally creates a greater water temperature in the upper layer and a larger surface area, which increases evaporation and reduces downstream water availability. Also infiltration can be a problem, with water becoming groundwater due to the fact that it's sitting in the reservoir for so long.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Where does ISIS get those orange jumpsuits for its hostages from? Is it manufactured within ISIS territory?" ]
There have probably been hundreds of millions of orange jumpsuits manufactured over the past few decades. I'm sure it's not hard for anyone to find a few for sale. Try the internet.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Conception & Fertilization... what happens?" ]
A man's sperm swims up to an egg that has been deposited in the womb and enters it. The sperm mixes its 23 chromosomes with the egg's 23 chromosomes and the development of a baby ensues through the reproduction of various cells. Miscarriages happen for a variety of reasons but they're all due to basically imbalances that cause in the death and subsequent disposal of the fetus. Sometimes it takes a while to get a woman pregnant due to weak sperm, ineffective egg laying or hormonal imbalances
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is AWD better than FWD and FWD better than RWD driving on snow?" ]
There is a video going around that shows a RWD car will do better with good tires than an AWD car will do with shit all seasons. Basically, it boils down to traction. Rear wheel drive powers only the rear wheels. This works amazing on dry pavement where the weight transfers to the rear. Whenever the pavement is wet or slick, you rarely put enough power to shift the weight rearward and hook up. The result is you spin the wheels that then makes you unstable. FWD is better at this because the fat engine up front is always over the tires. But that is why FWD is worse at acceleration on dry pavement. AWD powers all 4 wheels (and smart AWD distributes it to the most needed wheels). Therefore you will not slip outside to lose too much control. But you can still lose control with AWD.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is road kill most always off to the side of the road when it usually is hit within the middle of the road?" ]
Typically the animal is hit with the front/ side of the vehicle. Where it is knocked back to the side of the road. If hit dead on 99% of the time somone will drag the animal to the side of the road so it isnt a danger to others.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do Actors get paid so much? How is their pay structured?" ]
It depends on the money which can be generated. With shows the money comes from advertising. If the show producers know they can earn advertising dollars then they are willing to pay big bucks.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "if a person were to live in an environment with more intense gravity would they become stronger?" ]
Yes, you are correct. Since we aren't going to be traveling to a place with higher gravity any time soon (or manipulating gravity), a common way of replicating this phenomenon is to put on a weight vest. Now you suddenly have to move extra weight (exactly what having higher gravity would require) and thus would get stronger. Obviously with higher gravity the force is more distributed so everything gets stronger, with a weight vest, obviously your arms wont be strengthened since they aren't weighed down. A sidenote, this could also put extra strain on your biological systems, which could be a bad thing. The immediate one that comes to mind is that your circulation could be affected as it becomes harder for your blood to travel back up from your lower extremities. The extreme example is when people black out from pulling too many g's (which are multiples of gravity).
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Quintuplets, how does a woman hold that many babies all the way to term?" ]
They don't. Twins are usually born prematurely - the more twins, the earlier. The average pregnancy length for quintuplets is around 29 weeks, as opposed to the normal 40 weeks. Additionally, the last few weeks are when the fetus gains the most weight, so a fetus at week 29 only weighs about a third of what it will weigh in week 40, and twins generally weigh less than a normal fetus.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do pills come in different shapes?" ]
First of all, there are different kinds of pills. * There are pills containing mostly calcium - these doesn't taste bad, and are therefore uncovered. * Other pills are covered in a sugar to eliminate the bad flavor. * Some drugs need to work fast, and are therefore in powder shape, sealed in a thin shell that rapidly dissolves in your stomach. * Some can be chewed * Some doesn't even go in your mouth ;-) Pills are designed, just as every other product in the world. It's business, and to be the best, manufacturers are of cause competing to make a pill that is: * Cheap * Good looking * Easy to swallow * Effective * Taste neutral, or even good flavored * Easy to manufacture * Keep to certain laws and guidelines.. * Long lasting **Edit: Formatting**
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", ". What's the difference in amps and volts? What do they do?" ]
Analogy: Voltage (measured in volts) is similar to pressure in a pipe, and the current (measured in amperes) is the flow of water in the pipe. Reality: The voltage pushes electric charge. All materials have some charge (such as electrons) -- and in a *conductive* material the charges can move around easily. When charges move, they are called a current.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do objects that are far away appear to move slowly?" ]
Because the distance they need to travel in order to move to a different point on your visual arc is much larger. Your hand moving in front of your face very quickly will move from the right side of your vision to the left side, even if you move the hand itself slowly. But a car going by at a racetrack might takie some time to get from one side of your vision to the other, since it has a much further distance to travel. Since it is further away, the "left side of your vision" isn't immediately left of your face but instead a point quite distant from you. Same with the right side. Like this: _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How come glass can be a window, a mirror, or even one way mirror?" ]
The glass is not responsible for reflection in a mirror. Instead, there is a thin, metallic sheet backing the glass which reflects nearly all light. The glass just overlays the reflective sheet, keeping it flat and probably helping it's reflectivity in ways that I don't understand.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What happens in my mouth while sleeping to get that gross smell, taste and feel?" ]
The bacteria that normally cycle through your mouth when you spit, swallow, etc. are instead basically allowed to sit and spread. If you have ever gotten dry mouth, you will notice your mouth feels gross and your breath smells horrible. Same idea, no saliva circulating to clear out bacteria.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "What has Benjamin Netanyahu actually accomplished?" ]
Well, he's done a marvelous job of increasing tension in the region and fanning the flames of an already bad situation. However, chicken hawk is not an apt designation. Unlike his ideological counterparts in the US, like Cheney and Rumsfeld, Netanyahu *did* enlist and fight in combat in the Israeli defense forces. A chicken hawk is somebody who loudly beats the drum for war, but when presented with the option of joining the military themselves, they suddenly have "other priorities," in the famous words of Dick Cheney.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do some people in the USA think there are magic phrases that put them outside the law?" ]
Part of the problem is that the legal system does have some very specific "magic" phrases that can make or break a claim in very particular circumstances. That, and the fact that lawyers have built up common ways of expressing things, make some people think that the entire thing is an elaborate system that just requires knowing the right thing to say at the right time. As with most conspiracy theories, however, these people take the tiny little nugget of truth and expand it out into full-blown crazy.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why are suicide rates so high wealthy western countries, but in places like Africa, where people are starving and live in terrible conditions, the rates are low?" ]
The suicide rate is not accurate in most developing countries so it's hard to know. Some countries also deliberately understate the numbers. Also there are forms of disguised suicide where a person will take extreme risks that may lead to fatal injury - for example a teen who join an armed militia, it may be driven by a death wish-
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How is it possible that the wreckage of the USS Lexington along with its planes is still in such remarkable shape despite being under water for more than 75 years?" ]
There can be a lot of factors. The chemical makeup of the water, the salinity, the current flow, pollution level, all of those can have a bearing on how much anything that sinks deteriorates. For an extreme example, look at the wreck of the [Vasa](_URL_0_). That was a ship that went down in the 17th century and was recovered in the 1960s, in *astonishingly* good condition considering it was a wooden ship that had been underwater for nearly three hundred and fifty years. Again it depends on the conditions at the particular site.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do a dog's foot pads smell like popcorn?" ]
> This corn chips smell is usually caused by some bacteria that are completely natural yet give off a kind of yeasty odor, particularly the bacteria Proteus or Pseudomonas. Many pet owners say they actually ENJOY this smell, so you can relax. _URL_0_
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How does my body know when it should wake up when I'm on the bus/train?" ]
Most times it doesn't. I've seen people sleep through the regular stops heaps of times.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why is the Wounded Warrio Project needed, does our government not take care of these soldiers after sending them to war to get maimed?" ]
Not sufficiently. They get medical care, but help readjusting to life after severe injuries isn't covered by the Veterans Affairs office. Counseling, therapy, and advice on how to return to normal aren't given by the government. There's a reason why many veterans end up homeless. The government does the bare minimum to repair their bodies, but not enough to ensure they recover.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "How does the Moviepass business model work? How do they make money off of $10 a month when it's more than $10 a movie in some places?" ]
How do they make money? **They don't**. The company is subsidizing tickets using venture capital money. [They're hoping that if they get popular enough, theater owners will give them some money](_URL_0_): > Lowe acknowledges that his company is subsidizing ticket buyers and will lose money in the process. However, he believes that MoviePass will be able to prove its value to movie theaters and studios, and that in the future they will cut the company in on their additional profits. Theater owners could also either pay MoviePass back with advertising or give them a percentage of the concessions sales.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Who came up with the idea that dying in battle led to afterlife rewards?" ]
a crafty warlord that needed to rouse troops in order to fight under false pretenses in order to promote his sole agenda.
[ "Provided a user question, retrieve the highest voted answers on Reddit ELI5 forum", "Why do most people don't care about privacy and surveillance?" ]
Most people do care about privacy and surveillance. But the *degree* to which they care varies greatly. Cameras on public streets recording everything that goes by may bother some people, and others not in the least. A camera in the bathroom of someone's home, however, and pretty much everyone will be angry. This is the kind of thing where there are so many interpretations that there's not an universally acceptable "correct" way to do things. As a result, there will always be some people who seem naive or paranoid to others based on their views of surveillance.