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

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

363 episodes — Page 4 of 8

S1 Ep 220ELI5 Airport Security - why we have a 100ml fluid limit?

Why do we have a limit on the amount of hand carry liquids when we travel, and how is the fluid limit in airports an effective security measure? How was the TSA formed? Are those full body scanners at airports safe? ... 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: thestarkreality, bunjay, mocha-shaka-khan, genxcub, newfocus1964 and xonth 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]

May 12, 20238 min

S1 Ep 219ELI5 Megalodon - how are we sure they are extinct?

How are scientists so sure that the Megalodon is extinct? Especially since I keep on hearing them say we’ve explored less than 5% of the earth’s deepest oceans? What did they look like? Where did they live? How did they become extinct? ... 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: blackwolfeone, m8asonmiller, rawrthedinosawrr, tomalator, theworthing, ippus_21 and indigoindica_za 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]

May 5, 20236 min

S1 Ep 218ELI5 Port and Starboard - why not just left and right?

Why do ships use “port” and “starboard” instead of “left” and “right?” Where did the terms originate? What does “aft” mean and why is it different from the stern? Why do large ships have their anchors in the bow and not the stern or either port or starboard sides? ... 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: jattopotamus, dbht14, commissaraj, quintus_horatius and proofbox 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]

Apr 28, 20236 min

S1 Ep 217ELI5 Energy Drinks - what’s in them beyond caffeine?

What in energy drinks provides stimulus over and above that from caffeine? Are they superior to coffee or tea? How did Pepsi and Coca Cola start out as energy drinks? Why are their health warning labels on some energy drinks? What are the benefits of energy drinks? ... 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: svijetokonas, gingrpenquin, seaztheday, harrietbeadle, astroember, -kibbles-n-tits- and m_t_rv_s__n 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]

Apr 21, 20237 min

S1 Ep 216ELI5 Laughing Gas - why is N20 called laughing gas?

What happens inside your brain when you inhale nitrous oxide? Why is it called laughing gas? When did we start using laughing gas for medical use cases? Is it safe? ... 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: linguista420, slugcunt69, infinitysquared and kodack10 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]

Apr 14, 20237 min

S1 Ep 215ELI5 Sinkholes - how do they happen?

How do sinkholes happen? What exactly are they? What are Cenotes? Why do sinkholes have so many different names around the world? What is the deepest sinkhole in the world? ... 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: jaded57, dixonmyaz, berkeleykev, back2beantown, francischarlesbacon and fish_823543 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]

Apr 7, 20237 min

S1 Ep 214ELI5 GPS - how is GPS a free service?

How is GPS free? How is it profitable for companies to offer services like navigation without subscription fees or ads? Why did the US government open GPS up to the public? Why does GPS work even when underground and in buildings? Explain triangulation like i’m 5! ... 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: gentlemantroglodyte, trick_individual_42, samkusnetz, thedankbank1021, bareback_cowboy, secretantworshiper and bbqroastgentlemantroglodyte, trick_individual_42, samkusnetz, thedankbank1021, bareback_cowboy, secretantworshiper and bbqroast. 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]

Mar 31, 20238 min

S1 Ep 213ELI5 Fusion - what is nuclear fusion and why is it important?

What is nuclear fusion and how is it significant to us? How is it different to nuclear fission? What is the significance of the recent news that we have reached ‘ignition’ of nuclear fusion? ... 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: wickinked, straight-faced_solo, km89, aetius476, nerdofnight and hurricanebrain 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]

Mar 24, 20236 min

S1 Ep 212ELI5 Balloons - why is there a ring at the opening of a balloon?

Why is there a ring at the end of the opening of a balloon? What creates the noise of a ballon popping? Who invented the ballon? Why do helium balloons shrink in size over time? .. 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: marv1nnn, trooper_x, secretantworshiper, fujikitakyusho, brian_vogel, 18_usc_47 and moskau50 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]

Mar 17, 20237 min

S1 Ep 211ELI5 Toothpaste - how did people brush before toothpaste?

How did people maintain their teeth before toothpaste? If the first modern toothpastes were not sold in tubes, what were they sold in? When did they add fluoride? Why can't our teeth heal like our skin and bones? .. 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: dude-e, wenchister, the-illusiveman, duplojamaal, nemesis24k, perseus_turambar, who_cares_about_name and radbadtad 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]

Mar 10, 20239 min

S1 Ep 210ELI5 Pirates - why fly the skull and bones flag?

What was the point of the skull and bones pirate flag? why would you give away that you are a pirate? What does no quarter mean? What is the jolly roger? With pirates in literature like Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Long John Silver and Captain Jack, which pirates were historical and which were fictional? .. 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: hairweawekiller, stairway2evan, caesar_, pegajace, bulbliksmaz and tmahfan117 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]

Mar 3, 20237 min

S1 Ep 209ELI5 The Metric System - why is lbs the abbreviation for pounds?

Why is the abbreviation for the unit of weight, pounds LBS? Where did the metric system come from in the first place? Why is it so confusing to figure out if the USA an adopter of the metric system or not? Is there a metric system for time? .. 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: stratocast7, londonpilot, wengerista, foxmt, tmdaniel, invincibill, voltronforlife and carbondnb 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]

Feb 24, 20239 min

S1 Ep 208ELI5 Ketchup - which country did the word ketchup originate from?

Where did the word ketchup come from? Why do the Cantonese and Malaysians both claim it originated from their languages? Where does the Indonesian, French and Arabic connections come in? What makes Ketchup special as a non-Newtonian fluid? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you as always 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]

Feb 17, 20237 min

S1 Ep 207ELI5 Tomatoes - fruit or vegetable?

Are tomatoes a fruit or vegetable? Why is ketchup considered a legal vegetable in California? Why are sun-dried tomatoes safe to eat, while eating a tomato you left on the windowsill for too long would probably make you ill? How can restaurants leave ketchup and mustard out all day but the bottles you buy in the store say to refrigerate after opening? ... 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: spczippo, cbd03b, lolgobbz, kgisaboss, amoeba, sadoni, oneandonlyjackschitt and barrysquatter 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]

Feb 10, 20237 min

S1 Ep 206ELI5 The Streisand Effect - what makes it so universal?

What is the Streisand effect? How was Barbara Streisand involved? Why is it such a universal from China to South Africa? What are the implications of the Streisand Effect in recent ‘right to be forgotten’ legal cases? ... we explain like I'm five As always, thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community. To the ELI5 podcast 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]

Feb 3, 20236 min

S1 Ep 205ELI5 Alzheimer’s - the difference between Alzhiemer’s and Dementia?

Could you give a person with Alzheimer's a fact sheet to carry with them, reminding them of every truth about them, including the fact that they have Alzheimer's? What is the difference between Alzhiemers and Dementia? What causes Alzheimer's disease? What were the breakthroughs of the 1990s? What were the recent breakthroughs that made the news? ... 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: lordica, waspocracy, angelamotorman, carduus_benedictus and mistermarchmont 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]

Jan 27, 20239 min

S1 Ep 204ELI5 Postage Stamps - does the sending or receiving country get money from my stamp?

If I send a letter or postcard from the UK to the USA, who gets money from my stamp? Once it reaches the receiving country, what makes them obliged to deliver my letter if they are not receiving payment for it? When was the global system for postage established? How does overnight shipping get where it's going faster than a normal package? Why not make everything overnight? ... 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: riconquer2, riphitter, rhynod, psunavy03, prudent-artist-274, p33k4y, arcturusflyer and admirable_cry_3795 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]

Jan 20, 20237 min

S1 Ep 202ELI5 Food Pyramid - why all the criticism?

How and when did the food pyramid originate? What has since replaced it? What is the Sweden connection? Why have many people been critical of the food pyramid? What is the hamburger question? ... 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: paul277, andyfox1979, comissaraj, jbass55, caboosetp and overim 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]

Jan 13, 20237 min

S1 Ep 203ELI5 Heart Rate Monitors - what types are most accurate?

Why do cardio machines require you to put two hands on them to measure your heart beat when a wrist watch can do it just with one wrist? What’s the difference between an ECG and EKG? Which types of monitor is most accurate? ... 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: saltyson32, internetboyfriend666, blindedbythesight, iuse2bgood, vexx_nl, angryocelot and notwearingatie 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]

Jan 6, 20238 min

S1 Ep 201ELI5 Bank Runs - why does a run on the bank happen?

What is a run on the bank? Why it can happen in a fractional reserve banking system? What’s the best thing to do when there’s a bank run? When was the first bank run? Can we prevent bank runs? ... 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. 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]

Dec 30, 20228 min

S1 Ep 198ELI5 Credit vs Debit Cards - what’s the difference?

What is the difference between swiping my bank card as a credit vs. a debit? Why do you need to use credit to get rewards points? What role does Visa and Mastercard play in the process? ... 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: bringer_of_words, tehwildman_, herohas, niuniu1218, civil_politics, goldzatfig, londonpilot and loodog 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]

Dec 9, 20227 min

S1 Ep 197ELI5 Turbulence - how do pilots know it’s coming?

What causes turbulence? How do airplane pilots sometimes know when they about to hit turbulence? Why have heat waves caused airlines to ‘bump’ passengers? How did Van Gough depict turbulence before physicists had even discovered it? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion, especially the following users: miles_by_the_inch, 9country, optionsquare, apleima2, interneerd9 and p_u_c_k_iv 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]

Dec 2, 20228 min

S1 Ep 196ELI5 Coca Cola - where does the name come from?

Why is it called Coca Cola? How did we get the nickname Coke? Where does the logo come from? Who invented it and who is responsible for all the advertising that Coca Cola has been associated with? Why is it made with different types of sugar in different parts of the world? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion. 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]

Nov 25, 20228 min

S1 Ep 195ELI5 Phobia - what's the difference between a phobia and a fear?

What two fears are we all born with? What is the most common phobia? Why are phobias categorized as specific and social phobias? Who are some famous people with phobias? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion. 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]

Nov 18, 20226 min

S1 Ep 194ELI5 Ponzi Schemes - how do they work?

What’s the difference between a pyramid scheme and a Ponzi scheme? Why is it called a Ponzi scheme? What are some of the most famous Ponzi schemes in history? ... 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: brentrs89, megatron_mclargehuge, eyeheartboobs, fifth_down, rodneymunch11, lazydracula and kevlarbuns 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]

Nov 11, 20228 min

S1 Ep 193ELI5 Reboot - why turning a device off and on fixes a host of tech issues?

How exactly does turning a device off and on fix such a wide array of tech problems? Why are you sometimes asked to turn something off and wait 20 seconds before plugging it in again? Why did ctrl-alt-delete get invented and why this particular key sequence? ... 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: anthraxl0l, damienwithrice, additional-you-5979 and nit3fury 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]

Nov 4, 20228 min

S1 Ep 192ELI5 Smell and Taste - how does our sense of smell work?

Why do "bad smells" like smoke and rotting food appear to linger longer and are harder to neutralize than "good smells" like flowers or perfume? Why is the smell of garlic so hard to get rid of? Why does airplane food universally taste bad? How do our genetics affect our sense of smell and taste with herbs like cilantro / coriander? ... 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: faerlina, bostwickenator, bigdipper80, darth_mufasa, bobatsfight, darwins_dog, unsubtleflounder, godsenfrik and cyberneticpanda 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]

Oct 28, 20227 min

S1 Ep 191ELI5 Trucks - why do European trucks look different to US trucks?

Why do European trucks have their engine below the driver compared to US trucks which have the engine in front of the driver? What are the weightstations on US interstates used for? Is Optimus Prime European or American? ... 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: shaaeft, sgrumpy, holyhand_grenade, missionred, krimin, sliceoflife and serath62 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]

Oct 21, 20227 min

S1 Ep 190ELI5 Ants - how do they cling to surfaces so well?

How do ants deal with raindrops? Why don’t they hurt or drown them? How do ants cling to a surface so well that blowing at them hard doesn't budge them, even if the surface is somewhat smooth? How do queen ants get so big? ... 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: raydenbrough, wutzupples69, roydragoon89, graebot, rickyy1900 and notsocoolnow 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]

Oct 14, 20227 min

S1 Ep 189ELI5 Einstein - why is e = mc squared such a big deal?

Why is the discovery of e=mc^2 such a big deal? How important was it really? In what way did it make smartphones possible? What was special about the way Einstein was taught algebra? Why do we always think of the iconic photo of Einstein with his tongue out? ... 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: cumoisseur, grungyit, rasye and polar_roid 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]

Oct 7, 20227 min

S1 Ep 188ELI5 CPR - what is Michael Jackson’s association to CPR?

If we breathe out carbon dioxide, why does CPR work? Why does modern CPR training de-emphasize rescue breaths? CPR manuals talk about doing 100-120 chest compressions per minute - why so much faster than the average pulse of around 60-80? What does Michael Jackson have to do with CPR? Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: derstherower, voijarisa, cakeday173, marconidas, vaingloriou5, mavetju, joetomic, cashmoneykat, tezoatlipoca and rumble_n_the_bronchs 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]

Sep 30, 20226 min

S1 Ep 187ELI5 Pee - is urinating in the pool ok?

Is it ok to pee in the swimming pool? Is pee poisonous or sterile? Which famous swimmers admitted to peeing in the pool? Why is it ok for sea creatures in the ocean, if all the creatures are peeing in there? How does urine indicator dye work? (hint it doesn’t) ... 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: nybiggs, sciviasknows, wubaluba_dubdub, that_biology_guy, gumburcules and bananajesus Details on the Canadian study we referenced: https://www.theguardian.com/science/2017/mar/01/how-much-pee-is-in-our-swimming-pools-new-urine-test-reveals-the-truth 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]

Sep 23, 20226 min

S1 Ep 186ELI5 Jupiter - can you land on a gas planet?

What do they mean when they say Jupiter is a "gas" planet? Could a rocket be shot through it? Can a space ship land on it? If Jupiter’s Great Red Spot is a storm, why has it been there for so long? Why was the Juno mission one of NASA’s most difficult? ... 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: simonowens, billandteds69 and spriddler 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]

Sep 16, 20227 min

S1 Ep 185ELI5 Decaf - how did a train accident lead to its discovery?

How is it possible to get the caffeine out of coffee beans? How was the process accidentally discovered? What percentage of caffeine needs to be removed for it to be considered decaf? Is it true that coffee makes you want to go to the toilet? ... 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: realnotfake, subzerot, another1mitesthedust, darthvirgin, gregw134, brackattack27, yalloc, gnonthgol and jwstap 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]

Sep 9, 20226 min

S1 Ep 184ELI5 Dyslexia - does it exist in all languages?

How common is dyslexia? How does dyslexia work? Is it genetic or environmental? Who are the famous dyslexics? Are you dyslexic in all languages? Why is the font Comic Sans notable for people with dyslexia? ... 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: blitzwolf, -monarch, fl-etchersketch, ezferns, firestorm8880, faaizk and plebdog 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]

Sep 2, 20227 min

S1 Ep 183ELI5 Donuts - why the association with the police?

Why do powdered donuts feel cold? Why are donuts often associated with the police? Where does the donut come from? How did the hole get invented? ... 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: cmonster194, speckledeggs, informationhorder, daracmarjal, liamthebobbitt, zyreal and crazykiahl 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]

Aug 26, 20228 min

S1 Ep 182ELI5 Ampersand - the 27th member of the alphabet?

Why does the ampersand exist? Why do movie credits have a specific use of the ampersand? When did it stop being the 27th member of the alphabet? What does ‘per se’ mean in the context of the ampersand? Why is the ampersand written the way it is? ... 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: moongosling, uniqueusername014, jayman419 and kaffekalle. 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]

Aug 19, 20225 min

S1 Ep 181ELI5 Wrinkled Fingers - why water makes our fingers wrinkle?

How did they disprove the common assumption that our skin wrinkles or water aging occurs because water makes it swell? What did they observe and how is this fact used in the medical field today? What evolutionary purpose does wrinkled fingers serve? What other medical conditions could wrinkled fingers be linked to? ... 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: forgivethepast, axel927 and dday0123. Nature article referenced in episode: https://www.nature.com/articles/nature.2013.12175 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]

Aug 12, 20226 min

S1 Ep 180ELI5 Escalators - what is the shoe shine thingy there for?

Why does it feel so strange to step onto a stationary escalator? What do the brush type things on the side of escalators do? Why are escalator steps jagged with the brushlike shape at the top and bottom? Why do escalator handrails often run at slightly different speeds than the steps? Why does it feel so strange to step onto a stationary escalator? ... 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: ferdinand00, v0kun, banauuuuh, teddyjules, rashikun, south5, ac7ss, voltenic and aptom203 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]

Aug 5, 20229 min

S1 Ep 179ELI5 Occam's Razor - please explain what it really means!

What is Occam’s Razor? Why is it so commonly misunderstood? Why do people talk about hooves and zebras when describing it? Who was Occam, and why is it his razor? What is Occam’s broom? What are other philosophical razors that we should know about? ... 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: shadowofthewild, stairway2evan, bakanobaka, albatroopa, zjm555, lukavwolf and mredding 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]

Jul 29, 20226 min

S1 Ep 178ELI5 Bear Markets - where it gets its name?

Why is it called a bear market? How did it become used to describe financial markets? What does it have to do with bear skins? What does a stock market ‘dead cat bounce’ 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: tallahazey21, lazerslayer, azotta and willtheyeverlearn 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]

Jul 22, 20226 min

S1 Ep 177ELI5 Nitrogen - if it’s 80% of our atmosphere, why don’t we talk about it much?

We talk so much about oxygen and carbon, but 80% of the atmosphere is nitrogen. How does it fit in? Why does it not get talked about? Why does 1% of the world’s energy go into speeding up the nitrogen cycle? Why do divers know a lot about nitrogen? Why is liquid nitrogen so useful? ... 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: chicagofaucet, edman007-work, topomouse and scarabic. 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]

Jul 15, 20227 min

S1 Ep 176ELI5 Golf - why are white balls the standard?

How did white become the standard color for golf balls, when a more vibrant color would make it easier to see as it’s flying through the air? How do TV camera people follow golf balls so accurately? How is ‘par’ determined for a golf course? And of course, the classic golf question - why are there dimples on golf balls? ... 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: thepainapple, the_original_retro, cyb0ninja, zippo16, tezoatlipoca, xmosse, fringeaverage, robbak, toro816, akylax 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]

Jul 8, 20228 min

S1 Ep 175ELI5 Milk and Eggs - why cows and chickens became the standards for milk and eggs?

Why did we settle on chicken eggs as our standard eggs? Why not quail eggs, duck eggs or even ostrich eggs? What in evolution made chickens so productive? How did cow’s milk win over goats milk or bison milk? What is the concept of the butter line and why does it matter? ... 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: budford12, misanthropeX, greenstrong, acceptablemadness, alexl14, darkalman and cavemanjoe47 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]

Jul 1, 20228 min

S1 Ep 174ELI5 Natural Gas - why doesn’t the flame from a gas stove ignite the supply line?

What’s the difference between natural gas, gasoline and crude oil? Why doesn’t the flame from a gas stove ignite the supply line? How is natural gas transported via pipeline if it’s a gas? Why do gas pipelines have bendy sections? How come we see clean air natural gas buses, but not really any natural gas cars? ... 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: cheetahs_never_win, cerebralaccountant, darkalman, Badcat7, hezec, bigflagellum, evr-, individual-manner-27, loydhenderson, diamondicens and gazzaggerty 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]

Jun 24, 20228 min

S1 Ep 173ELI5 Soda - why it tastes different out of a can vs a glass bottle?

Some people say Coca Cola tastes different from an alumninum can compared to when drinking out of a glass bottle? Why is the level of fizziness also different between aluminum, plastic and glass bottles? What is so hard to replicate about the original Coca Cola? How can soft drinks like Coca-Cola Zero have almost 0 calories in them? ... 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: mossimo5, wanerious, chabays, ammon-jerro, decademoon and moy2093 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]

Jun 17, 20227 min

S1 Ep 172ELI5 Right and Left Hand Traffic - which is more popular?

Which is more popular, driving on the left side of the road or the right? How has this changed in the last 100 years? How did Sweden manage to make the switch from left hand traffic to right hand traffic in one day? What are the practical considerations? Is this the same for rail and boat transport? ... 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: cincy2000, rappatic and definitely_robots 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]

Jun 10, 20228 min

S1 Ep 171ELI5 Cotton - why cotton shirts feel stiffer when hung to dry?

Why are clothes that are hung to dry crunchy/stiffer than clothes dried in a dryer? How does spandex make cotton stretchy? What does it mean when they say cotton 50% and something else 50% like polyester or lycra? Please explain bed sheets and thread counts? ... 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: ldi1, prionbacon, dbmaniac, shoziku, aktuarie, motomike256, dansworth, quantumhamster, demanbmore, kstakka, platanosinpantalon, jarjarawakens and pescodar189. 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]

Jun 3, 20228 min

S1 Ep 170ELI5 Smallpox - is it related to monkeypox?

How is monkeypox related to smallpox? Why was it possible to eradicate smallpox, when it’s been impossible to do for other diseases? Why do vaccines owe their name to smallpox? What is cowpox? How does chickenpox fit into all this? ... 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: jimmiekosmo, afinkawan, meerkatmanor987, gingercunt101, prasiatko, mikeevans1990 and jefetoro1234 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]

May 27, 20226 min

S1 Ep 169ELI5 Stable Coins - how do they work?

What are stable coins and why do we even need them? What’s the mechanism that makes them stable? What are the different types of stable coin? How did the algorithmic stable coin Terra work, and why did it unravel? ... 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: fihaal42, tehwildman_, enough_blueberry_549, sleep_naked, red_atnight and lawproud492. Some extra resources: https://medium.com/@lawrenceg/what-are-stablecoins-and-why-do-we-need-them-db83c85b86b https://multicoin.capital/2018/01/17/an-overview-of-stablecoins/ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stablecoin 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]

May 20, 20229 min