ELI5 Explain Like I'm 5: Bite sized answers to stuff you should know about - in a mini podcast

How did the NATO phonetic alphabet come about? Why were specific words chosen for each letter? Has it changed over time? Why is the number 9 spoken as “niner”? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: i_hate_platpi_ama, mykro76, hugepilchard, instantpowdy and randomusefulbits To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What do all the signs on an airport taxiway mean? What do the various markings and lights indicate? How are parallel runways numbered? Why does Atlanta Airport use an alternative NATO Phonetic Alphabet? ... we explain like I'm five To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is it and why is Gore-tex so special? Aren’t there other materials that are just as waterproof? How was it discovered? Why does proper care of Gore-tex jackets involve the tumble dryer? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leonagano, kanobe24, oliverhazzzardperry, ligrgame and bassonb To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How do trains maintain traction on the tracks, especially during rainy or icy conditions? How do the wheels not slip off? Why do we always see stone or gravel on train tracks? How did early trains in the 1800s make sure they didn’t collide into each other? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leprechaun2me, lblluke, kuddemuddel, toxiclayishimura_mjd, darthartero and dcsantonio To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What exactly is a bailout and how does it work? If a company gets bailed out with taxpayer money, shouldn’t the public now own it? Why do governments often choose to bail out banks? Why don't they just let them go under? How do CEOs from failing companies bailout with golden parachutes? Where does the money come from? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leokz145, max_p0wer, effofexisy, dirt_mcgirt, dawnoftheshred, vivekparam, dudeitsmeee To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Is it possible for a regular passenger jet to break the sound barrier by riding on a really fast jet stream? How do jet streams form in the first place? Do they change throughout the year? How are they related to the polar vortex? How do commercial aircraft make use of the jet stream? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: warshadow, hugepilchard, stknrdr, burninatingpeasants and hemlockone To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Is matcha Japanese or Chinese? What makes matcha different from other green teas? How is it made? What is the special whisk for? How do you tell if the matcha you’re buying is high quality? How much caffeine is in matcha? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: vertexoflife, appleanche and rivertea To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What else determines the quality of olive oil and what's the difference between extra virgin, virgin, and refined olive oil? How is olive oil extracted? What are the proven health benefits of consuming olive oil? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: probbablyacantolope, frommerman, gcarsk, natureman123 & attackads To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How did ancient civilizations in 45 B.C. with their ancient technology know that the earth orbits the sun in 365 days? What is the exact length of an Earth year? How does the Gregorian calendar adjust for this discrepancy? There are some exceptions to leap years right? What is the Birthday Paradox? And does it apply to leap year birthdays? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: tommymikhaylov, davidrfz, pleural_mesothelioma, ansuz07, antithesys, mantufelis, evilabed24, ultopsso_yt To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is hypnosis capable of? Can anyone be hypnotized? Are there certain people who are more susceptible to it? Are there any potential dangers or side effects associated with hypnosis? How is hypnosis induced? Can someone put themselves into hypnosis? Can hypnosis be used to control or manipulate people against their will? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: thelazyguy001, lindsaymurray, thetimeischow, omarwazhere, aikawa_kizuna, animalprofessor, solidgol and the_wandering_mind To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why does scratching eczema affected skin feel good in that moment, when it actually worsens the skin condition? Why is it that eczema often appears in small patches on the body rather than being spread out? How does hydrocortisone work to relieve itching and inflammation caused by eczema? Is Eczema contagious? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: trianglesaurus, picklesrnoturfriend, qblez, 7superbaby7, jaydenlzw and oopsielalala To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Is there a significant difference between hand soap and body soap? Why does using bar soap often leave a "squeaky clean" feeling compared to liquid soap? How about antibacterial soap that has become popular in recent years? Is it more effective than regular soap? Is it alcohol in them that kills the bacteria? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: dankutobi, andiell, parallax3, germtheory, typhoneus, wafflebauf, formyfrog, catwhowalksbyhimself, amaranth1977 and lumpywon To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How do researchers accurately estimate the population of endangered species in the wild? How can the axolotl be both critically endangered and readily available in pet stores? How did the giant panda get off the endangered list? What is the process of how a species is declared endangered? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: inkypaws, nephisimian, jeremy_martin, iprocrastina, breckenridgeback, kulalolk, shejesa and cosmic_gallant To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is the Aurora Borealis? How do the various colors come about? Why are the northern lights primarily seen at the poles? Isn’t the magnetic north moving and what does that mean for where to spot the Aurora Borealis? What would it be like to be inside an Aurora? Is it even possible? Can you see the northern lights from space? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: venbrou, speckledjim, target880, anomalousenigma, itsapeljax, uncledan2017, jermleeds, zhendejiade99, thejeeronian, moogiemcfly and karlrutabaga To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is the difference between venomous and poisonous? How do snakes never get in a knot and if they do, how do they untangle themselves? Why do snakes have such potent venom? What happens when predators eat part of a snake that contains venom? Why are snakes evolving to not use their venom? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: casperslakes, xychologist, freestyle-scientist, freebytes, qyle95, yesssssssssssno, cameltrowe and phage0070 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why was VitaminWater sued over the 33g of sugar in each bottle? How do our bodies work with artificial sweeteners? Why do diet sodas taste different to regular ones? Are artificial sweeteners a good way to lose weight? Do they cause cancer? Why nutrition labels for TicTacs list zero sugar? ... we explain like I'm five Study referenced in this episode: Association between intake of sweetened beverages with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab069/6218497 Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: rhumsaa, iamaddicted2r_ddit, sablemint, richmana, phenylacetate, clburton24 and joe6161 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why are onomatopoeias different in different languages? If the sound is the same, why is it that the word for the sound is different? When was the first Onomatopoeia? Why is the word ‘cliche’ an onomatopoeia? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: masher_oz, drunken_assassin, seductive_cactus, drsjsmith, yoshiboo22, lobsang_ludd, vamosity-cosmic, mrdeathchicken and nkalinos To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How does the body decide where to add or take away fat when gaining or losing weight? Why is it that lower stomach fat and lower back fat are harder to lose compared to other areas? Why does working a muscle with low weight and high volume vs high weight and low volume yield different results? Why do powerlifters wear those big belts around their waists? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: gailson0192, sirduke6, limbonics, maxwellvador, maximov86, dirtydbag, Mookie_Merkk, djmcmayhem, thetreece and bakemechocolatecake To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

If the winter solstice is the longest night of the year, why does it mark the beginning of winter? Shouldn’t it rather mark the very middle of it? Why not have new years day be on the winter solstice? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: 2biggij, bobbyp27, zmech, markusx06, enigmasolver and mallad To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why are red, blue, and green considered primary colors for our TVs and Computer Screens, but for our printer ink, we have cyan, magenta, and yellow are primary colors in ink? What about red yellow blue as we are taught as 5 year olds? Could there be a fourth primary color? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: jefferey1313, themuffinman91, amoebachant, goldgibbon, dodweon, try-catch-finally and kile147 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What are bed bugs? Can you see them? How long have they been around? We thought we had eradicated them at one point in the mid-20th century but why did they come back? Are there any health risks? How do I tell if I have them, and how does one get rid of bed bugs? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: jigmest, loimographia, animaanon and btrpiii To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why is Where’s Waldo called Where’s Wally in the UK and different names in other countries? How did the illustrator come up with the idea in the first place? Has Waldo become harder to find? Why is Where’s Waldo a well known example in cryptography for zero knowledge proofs? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: blob_io, evenspoonier, tdscanuck, vvbb22 and nuditi To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why is it called Black Friday? Why is thanksgiving always on a Thursday? Did Macys invent the thanksgiving parade? Why is American Football a thanksgiving tradition? Why is the weekend after thanksgiving the busiest day in the year for plumbers? ... we explain like I'm five This episode was originally recorded in November 2021. Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: optoomistic, jcd1974, buddythebear, and cjk_exstream To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why aren't power lines in the US buried underground so that everyone doesn't lose power during hurricanes, wildfires and other natural disasters? What causes the audible electric 'buzzing' sound from overhead high voltage power lines? Why does Mozambique have some unique regulations for overhead powerlines? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: asanf, nebonit, stu_dying24, spectacularocelot and blade740 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

If crab fishing is so dangerous (think Deadliest Catch) why aren’t there crab farms like we have with fish? How do crabs breathe both in the water and on land? What does the phrase ‘crab mentality’ mean? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: lthawkington, yensid7, johan_no, imunown frosti11icus, kynthrus, alienrouge To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What’s the use of the cart that pushes back the airplane? Can planes not reverse without it? How can a cup of water not spill in an airplane when the plane tips its wings to make a broad turn? Why do military planes tend to have wings above the body and commercial planes have wings underneath the body? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: runborgondy, ableseacat14, nil_defect_found, cow_launcher, tehwildman_, jonnycruz666, mak-15 and plane_pro To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why do warmer countries/closer to the equator tend to be poorer than colder countries? Is it the temperature? Was this always the case, throughout history? Why did the Industrial Revolution happen in Europe and England instead of somewhere else? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: oustthetortol, thaddeauz, that_other_goat, majorex64, logicaljoiurnalist517 and burgergold To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

If hot air rises and cold air falls, why is it generally hotter at lower elevations and colder at higher elevations? Why is the temperature near the equator hotter than at the poles of the earth? Why is Death Valley the hottest place on Earth when it’s not near the equator? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to Robert for Pittsburgh, Pa. for writing in with this question. Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: cursed_gungan, mrs_roronoa, drcrno, purple_haze96 and the_origina_retro To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why do we have two different types of screws? If the Phillips head is superior, why haven’t flathead screws just been phased out over time? What are the benefits of the Allen and Torx type screws? Why do manufacturers like IKEA like to use Allen wrench screws for self assembled furniture instead of standard Phillips or flathead screws? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: darthhfaded, dmullaney, lucythefur, nagmay,dusktheumbreon and hawkeye18 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Do laser beams get wider over a distance? Why are most lasers red and not white in color? What’s the difference between a powerful flashlight and a white laser? Did Albert Einstein invent the laser? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: titaniumdragon, skoncol17, syloh, gibson45 and e_snap To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How does siri hear me say “hey siri” if it isn’t constantly listening to my conversations or me speaking? Why are most voice assistants’ wake phrases 3 syllables? “Hey Siri”, “Alexa”, “Hey Google”. How are synthesized voices (like Alexa and Siri) made? Why did the guy who is the voice of Siri not even know his voice was being used? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: buildedit, gnonthgol, xtremeed, mjmurcott, bigmamamk, sacredfool, taxoro and scienceissexy420 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How does a country devalue their currency, and why would they want to do that? What does it mean when people say a government is manipulating a currency? And what does it mean to either ‘peg’ or ‘float’ a currency? Explain the Bretton Woods system? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: sakiliya, wrsaunders and baldbear_13 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

When and where did money originate? Why are there two prevailing theories for how it came about? Why are there issues with the barter theory? If not the barter theory, what’s the other theory? What are some of the interesting phrases written on paper money? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community. To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Do Saunas and Steam rooms offer any actual health benefits? Do they help one’s skin? What happens to your body in a sauna? How can I sit in a 85 degree celsius sauna and not get burned, while water of the same temperature would scald badly? What is the Finnish connection? How do wood structures in saunas not rot or get moldy? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: billsauntieshouse, boobooaboo, maxweehus, saedius, groundbreakingcar379, sinistercheese, misomiso82 and onwardupwardforward To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How effective are ice baths and what are the benefits? How did they become so popular? Is it wrong to take a hot shower after a big meal? Is there danger from taking a shower in a thunderstorm? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: jimmyb3121, qjkxkcd, copnonymous, sixpennydruid, nova_saibrock, xylarthetimeless and greenstrong To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

If there's 3.2 billion base pairs in the human DNA, how come there's only about 20,000 genes? What is a gene? What is the double helix? Why is it significant? Who deserves credit for the discovery of DNA? Why do some people think Rosalind Franklin should have been awarded a Nobel Prize? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: 1994x, coolbeans1114, xandarg and nickcagefan2 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Is it true that the temperature on Saturn is hot enough for it to rain diamonds. How can this be when the planet’s so far out from the sun? And how can this be given that Saturn is a gas planet? Why does Saturn have a Hexagon on its North Pole? Why are Saturn's rings almost perfectly flat and flush with each other? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: 10sans, kschoes, agate_, cessnablackbelt, jaa101, drdimebar, turboaoul81, wild_tetsujin and busterwasmycat To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How do bears manage to keep their muscles strong after hibernation? If bears can hibernate through the winter living strictly on fat, could people potentially do the same and just sit around and not eat anything? What mechanism allows seed to hibernate for thousands of years and simply wake up to the first sign of water? Would a bear that's raised domestically, including sleeping indoors, still go through hibernation? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: ripghost, nesbiteme, riconquer, auswanderer, zodadoza, 7ambez, inspectormac9, coolappz and meowsaysdexter To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why does every elevator have a "door close" button if almost none of these buttons actually work? Is it a placebo? Why do some elevators have an up and a down button on their door, when they call the elevator to your floor regardless? If an elevator is falling to the ground, would jumping right before it hits save your life? Why do engineers say a space elevator would have to be built at the equator? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: benignevil, elev8torguy, different_secret4912, ansuz07, captainpatent, flexipiezo, tomrlutong, ravingrook and professorferox To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why are there exactly four strokes in swimming? Why are the Native Americans credited with the invention of Front Crawl and why is it also called the Australian Crawl? How did Butterfly come about as a variation of breaststroke? When was the dolphin kick invented? ... we explain like I'm five To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What’s the difference between Pickleball and Padel? Why is it called Pickleball? Was it named after the family dog? Why is the court the same size as a badminton court? Who is investing significant money into the sport? Can Pickleball or Padel surpass tennis in popularity? ... we explain like I'm five To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is the tesseract? The geometric shape, not the fictional Marvel space stone! How can we visualize a 4D shape in a 3D world? What did the great Carl Sagan say about why it’s so hard for us to imagine 4 dimensions? Who discovered the tesseract in the first place? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: lifewitheloise, portarossa, geetarmikey, green_meklar, sabertoothedpudding and okami31 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What does a central bank do? What’s the difference between a central bank, a reserve bank and a monetary authority? Why are some people against having a federal reserve? What is a CBDC, a central bank digital currency? How is it different to crypto currencies? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: reingding13, yellowjacketcoder, ronquistador, rdavidson24, sakiliya, wrsaunders, litecow and cross_keynesian To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How realistic are the Hollywood movie portrayals of amnesia compared to real-life amnesia? Why is it that when people get amnesia, they don't forget everything? Why do people with amnesia not forget their primary language for example? What’s the difference between retrograde and anterograde amnesia? Is there anything that can be done to treat or manage amnesia? Is it possible to ‘fake’ amnesia? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: favoritecolorsreddit, jowwill, stuartgotz, dildingo, rosemourne, cerberus73, wzup, untenabell, faelyn42 and omegaprimus To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How do French words like “cul-de-sac” and “hors d'oeuvres“ end up part of the English language without being translated to English words? Why did a language as widely spoken as Latin completely die? Why does this 'dead' language still have such a powerful presence in modern English? What is a calque? Why do some Latin phrases remain untranslated in common usage, like "status quo," "vice versa"? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: fergi20020, nmxt, schnutzel, nico87ca and phasmafelis To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Did you know that some of today's deserts were once seas, lakes, or lush forests? How do oases exist in such arid regions? Why does the US have huge cities in the desert? Why did people settle there? How is the Sahara linked to the thriving of the Amazon rainforest? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: dreadmcyt, murky-entertainer-81, toddwhiskey, teelmetheworld, fehnboi, exponentials, a_saddler and chel_of_the_sea To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

Why do some countries have Presidents, some have Prime Ministers, and some countries have both? What is the difference? What about France, where there’s both a president and a prime minister. Why is it that in some places the President is more powerful but in others like Germany the Prime Minister is more powerful? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: lawstuden2, lancashire_lad, feb914, winstonl, psyk60 and chickentrousers To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How can just a few hundred cables under the ocean provide the internet to the entire world? Who actually owns and manages these cables? Who lays these undersea cables in the first place? What do these cables look like? Was it a shark or boat anchor that nearly took down the internet in several countries in 2008? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: tezoatlipoca, newpassionfruit and chaotic_lemming To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

What is the purpose of prison bail? If somebody should or shouldn’t be jailed, why make it contingent on an amount of money that they can buy themselves out with? What is a bond? If you are not denied bail, what are your choices? How much is typical bail? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: lyghtpete, petwins, yglorba, umassmza, drafterman, red_atnight and willvasco To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]

How are they and other surfaces you see around in public places considered antimicrobial without cleaning them? What does it even mean to be antimicrobial? How exactly does silver and copper kill bacteria? What did ancient civilizations do with copper? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: secretantworshiper, ghosttrees, notrickwick, shinyafro and goldenslye. To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: [email protected]