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

What’s the difference between the police department and the sheriff’s department? What was the sting operation the FBI conducted on members of congress in the 1980s? Did we not have a foreign intelligence service before the CIA was created? What was the Secret Service’s original role? ... 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: davedoeslife, chrismichaels3000, fouram, mildlysuspicious, firesondiego, zyonker, nickppapagiorgio, hugglyfe, acrobatic_pandas and dew2459 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]

In business, what is a hostile takeover? How does it work? How can a board of directors prevent a hostile takeover? What is a poison pill? Can a board choose not to use a poison pill once it has been set up? What do Microsoft, Netflix and Papa Johns have in common? ... 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: vonshavingcream, georgeoscarb, oohcharlie 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]

Where does the term come from? Why is the definition so hard to pin down? What happened in the 1940s film starring Ingrid Bergman? When did gaslighting re-enter popular culture in recent times? Why is the term often misused? ... 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: pwa09, berael, sublimeecto1a, e-snap, nobutthanksanyway, bodaciousvermin, axolotlsaredangerous, encogneeto and diaperedwoman 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 Hiroshima a vibrant city today, vs a dead city like Chernobyl which still has sa 30km exclusion zone? How do countries get rid of nuclear warheads when they no longer need them? How are nuclear weapons tests conducted underground without destroying everything around them? ELI5 what happened at Chernobyl? ... 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: iisystematic, brainwired1, gfrisse1, temioo, the_other_goat, kent1146, clovis69, doctor_zonk, rilkespawn, clotzyninja and je_kay24. 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 is the date for Easter determined each year? Why do we have an Easter bunny and chocolate Easter eggs? Why did Christmas become a bigger holiday than Easter? What animal is often used instead of a bunny in Australia? ... 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: nehala, nomocactusnames, vorengard, marcvanh, euthy, deadmanv5, juanpablo2016, override9636, underbuster and kouhoutek. 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 Lego’s company motto? What does the word Lego mean? How do lego bricks not lose tension after years of repetitive play? If Lego had a patent on their interlocking bricks, why are there so many copycat versions? How many lego pieces are in circulation? What’s the biggest lego set? ... 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: madeleinedean, 080087, option8, squeevey, laeiryn and gragert. 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 they switch out the basketball net frequently in the NBA? What was Tim Duncan doing before he got into basketball? How and why did backboards become part of basketball? What’s behind the color convention of home and away jerseys? What is the most accurate free throw tecnique? Why is the Lithuanian team of 1992 called ‘the other dream’? ... 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: howmuchbanana, a trumpster, neugo, munot, vernvernsipsip, atlasairborne, marco19, lakefargo and waveofpbr. 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 don’t hurricanes seem to hit the West Coast of the USA or Europe? What is the Coreolis effect and why does it determine which direction a hurricane spins? They say the water flushes down a toilet or down a drain in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres - fact or fiction? Why did hurricanes all have female names at one stage? ... 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: kristin9898, baroncoop, puzzlealbatross, competitivetable1, vinnaey, agate_ and bizitmap. 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 business suit and tie become the standard men’s attire for business? How did it become a global fashion standard? Who was Beau Brummel? Why was he central to the story of the business suit? Practically, what is the slash pocket for? Why do some shirts have cufflinks? ... 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: whackshackblackjack, shadojuggalo, iprotein, syntaxvorlon, derpling42, przasu, brinlong, blipsman, veryawesomeguy and timothygonzalez. 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 a half twin? If twins have identical DNA, how come their fingerprints are different? If identical twins have kids with another set of identical twins, are their offspring technically brothers or sisters? If two twin brothers are disputing to see who is the father of a child, can science determine which of the two is the real father? Why are there so many twins in hollywood? Does face scanning recognize twins as the same? ... 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: minigirl17, sterlingphoenix, whoisxu, babybopp, chasedonovan, michelkz, backwardslion, uscmissinglink, idiotmanchild, cardboardunderwear, ehh22, agitaive_auto, matrozi and mjmurcott. 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 civilizations originally justify charging interest on money? How does raising interest rates slow/lower inflation? Do banks lose money if they lend money at less than inflation? What does the term usury mean? Why is interest banned in Islamic finance? How come people don't borrow from low-interest rate countries like Japan and deposit it in high-interest rate countries like Argentina? ... 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: jake-the-dog, victorvanguard, teeehaus, will_fisher, mixduptransistor, smileyguy666, machineteaching, dnbck, jobbo321, sirjelly, pragmatic_idealist, micsidious, glittervector and anagallis_arvensis. 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 long has doping been a problem? What does doping have to do with the word beserk? Who was the first person to get disqualified for doping and what did he take (the answer may surprise you)? Why is it so hard to detect? How did Lance Armstrong get away with it for so long? Why isn’t caffeine on the banned list? ... 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: noto987, gnonthgol, huphelmeyer, zeusoid, nickel5, dustofoblivion123 and rodent567. 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 the word sanction an autoantonym? What does imposing sanctions on another country actually do? How has Cuba been able to live with sanctions for so long? Why do we not have red pistachios in the US? ... 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: emmettiow, tasguam, pigakila, comrade_deeco, ozzywalt14, lawlipop83, asus_i7 and ill_outside8827. 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 long does it take for water you drink to get to your bladder? If you drink more than your bladder can hold, what does your body do with the surplus liquid? How much liquid does the average bladder hold? If you need to pee, and you drink more water, why does the urge get stronger right away? What is shy bladder? What am I feeling in my bladder area when I go down a rollercoaster? ... 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: jarlewski, goingrougeatwork, rambo_2907, veliladon, dooverdixon, raven890, imerel, brucebrowde, eric_snowmane, haurian and tourm. 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 honey have in common with botox? How exactly do bees make honey? If ants love sugar and honey, why don’t we see bee hives constantly attacked by ants? What did native americans call bees when they first encountered them? How did bees help in a drug investigation in NYC? ... 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: imchocolaterain, edman007-work, theyellowmeteor, natefigs12, mynameisray, hayley2431, wrsaunders, dr_shocktopuss, zrock1013 and kedrico. 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 anxiety, and how does it become a disorder? What is happening physiologically when people describe getting an anxiety lump? How is anxiety different from depression? How is clinical depression diagnosed? Why do mental health symptoms seem more intrusive, disruptive and severe at night time? Why does exercise appear to help with mental health? ... 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: aroundtheworldwithme, togoboldly, reallybigleg, mol-view, whatifim80lol, crazycatlushie, throwawaytherulebook, franklydankmemes, jetfuelfire 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 money laundering? Why can’t a criminal just spend good old fashioned cash? What are some of the ways used by criminals to launder money? Besides casinos, why are laundromats often mentioned? Why are countries like Panama and Cyprus ideal for laundering money? ... 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: courtimus, atomkanister, el_mochilero, skatingraccoon, jakob4800, mechadragon469, m34tbag, slippedtheslope and paxnova 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]

It takes a dozen oranges to make a single glass of OJ, so how is it economically viable? Why does Tropicana taste different to Simply Orange if they are both 100% orange juice? Some people say orange juice is as unhealthy as soda - is this really true? Why does orange juice taste so horrible if you drink it right after brushing your teeth? ... 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: resurrected5yearold, notwutiwantd, pure_opinion, toommyschoolbruh, krescendi, illogictc, fatalbert491, some_toast_, lithium, peregrine4 and myinquisitivemind 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 there a difference in voltage between America and pretty much the rest of the world? Is there an advantage to one vs the other? How did we end up with so many different types of electrical sockets? What’s different about the ‘shavers only’ sockets you see in bathrooms? ... 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: instantpowdy, talksintext, irish_sausage, tomoldbury, cdb03b and zouden 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 legitimate reason why we must power down all our electronic devices on planes? Has EMI ever caused an actual plane crash? What are some of the potential solutions? What is the new issue with 5G and planes? ... 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: ak2040, elietech, cycle_chyck, mikeofallpeople, concussion962 and iknowwhoyouareguy 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 salt become the chosen condiment all over the world? Why does it work as a preservative? Why is there so much salt in the ocean? Is sea salt really different to regular salt? Why does putting salt on a wound make it sting so much? Why are smelling salts used to wake up the unconscious? What happens when you drink sea water? ... 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: yellowslimjim, fox-mcleod, fendersocialclub, drjoefo, rorzay, chel_of_the_sea, quinelder, mmk1600, federa_assistant_85, alee_ir, puoaper, wyissofly and sablemint 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 can your Internet Service Provider see when you use an encrypted connection? How about when you don’t? What does RSA stand for? Why is prime factorization the mathematical basis for cryptography and encryption? ... 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: maxbondoc, chaseshaw, lem72, ballisntlife, audigex, xanhou, liam_san123, loki-l, ollimatrix and burried_treasure 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 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]

What is the danger zone when talking about food safety? Can we leave meat in hot water or at room temperature to defrost it? If bacteria die from heat or say, boiled water, where do their corpses go? What is depyrogenation? ... 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: haerveu, chel_of_the_sea, admiralteal, doItsarahlee, wikiwantsyourpics, all_work_all_play and breezingby56 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 cargo ship containers not topple over in rough seas? What’s the secret as to how they all stick together? How did they all become standard sizes? Who was the ‘father of containerization’ and how did he get things to change so rapidly? ... 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: grayfield, boewle, nebbie13, kiwiloverbutallergic, fish-fingered and cardiparti 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 soap not work with hard water? Is hard water a good or bad thing? What are water softeners? Why are they banned in some places? When you buy bottled water in plastic bottles, how come they have an expiration date? How can water expire? ... 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: sn0rlaxftw, kittenrice, wyliecody, lustypad, th3hedonismbot, toxiclay, paravis and tokyojokeyo 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 use genetically modified organisms? What are the drawbacks? Are there any health issues with GMO foods? How did Norman Borlaug save 1 billion people? ... 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: queengonzo, thatdudeonthephone, steventhesloth, karnman, amrbean, app6a, qasqaldag 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 difference between ADD and ADHD? Does ADHD affect adults? How is it not just being hyper active? What goes on in the brain of someone with ADHD? Why do some people not believe in ADHD? What makes video games and people with ADHD a perfect fit? ... 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: mrsrainey, professional-eye-878, 4102reddit, craftybeerdad and oogieboogieboogieboo 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 UV light sanitize? If UV is dangerous for our skin, why bother with low SPF sunscreens? How does sunscreen work? What does the SPF number measure? What sunscreen products were recalled recently? ... 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: runiat, jamaalfuckincharles, bobt21, isthisnamegood, charlesdparrott, dehacked, void_vix, uh-oh-cherio, y-void, thebearwillbefine, ribbitboing, opus666 and mleitch 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 tupperware wet coming out of the dishwasher, when plates and glasses are all dry? Why do tomatoes stain in a dishwasher? What makes something dishwasher safe, or only top rack dishwasher safe? How are industrial dishwasher so much quicker than the ones at home? Which uses more water, using a dishwasher or hand washing? ... 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: napalmfires, storypenguin, ieuantemplar, nomisnairda, warlocktx, hagenaar, where_da_party_at, voiceofchris and andcarro 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 a debt ceiling? What used to happen before it was invented? Do other countries have one? What happened in 2011 and why did it involve Apple? What was the trillion dollar coin and why are people talking about it again? ... 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: the_walking_deaf, bolshevikmuppet, lobsang_ludd, bossgalaga, the_cleric, buzzyness and chrisfartwick 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 were dinosaurs and things that lived long ago so much bigger than animals today? What caused the extreme weather back then? Were oxygen levels really much higher than they are today. Were CO2 levels higher too? How are both possible? ... 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: vinneh, the_original_retro, thechromaticscale, xeno_man, davehone, cloudnyne, mayumoogy, mgroz83 and zefrogleaps 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 theoretically possible that my key could unlock a second car somewhere else in the world? Why is the keyless entry system separate to the keyless ignition system? What is an immobilizer? What is a rolling code, and why is it important that my car has one? ... 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: miichiseboss123, matraxia, hands_on_tools, dragonx254, donaldpshimoda, slightlylesshairyape and raresh985 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 reverse mortgages in the simplest terms? What do they have to do with the singer David Bowie? What does the French origins of the word mortgage 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: asldkja, thameus, bunka77, world_leader_pretend, legends444, bumbling_bear, huskypupper and pulpheroe 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 hiccup? What evolutionary function does it perform? Which of the remedies actually work to stop hiccups? Who were the people who had extended hiccups? Who won the Ig Noble Prize for hiccups? ... 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: onemindandflesh, rsdancey, damien_targaryen, hookerofmemorylane, ipn8bit, anewmachine615, mckoijion and george_e_hale 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 the moon slowly moving away from the earth at 4cm per year? How do we even measure it so precisely? Why does the same side of the moon always face the earth? What is the beautiful dimensional coincidence that gives us a a perfect solar eclipse? ... 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: deletedscenebrowser, mobius1424, joldz, smlz101, puppypile99 and boymcmoyo 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 there a sudden change in Teflon plans in 2015? Are newer versions of Teflon safe? What is the chemical used to make Teflon that is in the bloodstream of 99.7% of Americans? ... 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: dj_orka99, thebiga1806, doctormodalus, chem_equals, cicya, twatical, d2nekon and tracygee 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 happens if we sleep without them? Does it cause long term spinal problems if you sleep without one regularly? Why do babies seem to do fine without a pillow? ... 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: starrdust322, agentelman, open_door_policy and philosophile42 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 makes mattresses so expensive? What is the purpose of a box spring underneath? What is the best way and optimal position for humans to sleep? Why do we humans like to use a pillow to support our heads when we sleep? ... 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: musical_jinn, crackyospine, shakeanjake, epicjigsaw, nittygrittytruth and andy_clark 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 all the Olympic Games money losers except the famous Los Angeles event in 1984? What did LA do differently? How does funding for the Olympics work? Why doesn't the IOC just buy an island to host the Olympics there every 4 years? Do Olympic athletes have a McDonalds in the village? ... 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: businessowl, supreme_101, ahawks, cromulentembiggener, wolfthawra, bryan_sensei and ceatsykoopa98 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]

Can memories be passed down to subsequent generations via genetics? What did a team at Emory University discover about genetic memory? What does it mean for medicine, in particular treatments for anxiety and phobia? ... 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: danasf, brave-welder, tdscanuck and nerdchieftain. Paper referenced in episode: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3923835/ 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 can't we seed clouds to solve California's drought problem? How does seeding clouds even work? Which countries and states have used the technology? Who legally owns a cloud? ... 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: grenata, ratelslangen2, irwin96, drkobbe, kaseyB, steavee and shaggorama 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 pasta foam when the lid is on the pot, but the bubbles quickly disappear if I lift the lid? If all pasta is made from the same ingredients, why do we have so many pasta shapes? Did Marco Polo introduce pasta to Europe or was it all a marketing tale? ... 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: 77to90, sandor, sweetmercy, ipodpron, apoorva63, thegreatlakesarefake, ktlrj, walnutsnail, varialectio and pigeoncanfly 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 chess a sport? Why is it so popular? How did it become a global game? Why is the queen the most powerful piece on the board? When playing with a computer on low difficulty, how does it know how to play a not so great move? Do men and women play in separate tournaments? ... 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: doncuneo, thescamr, johnny9991, karaps, jetpacksforall, school-yeeter, concis_pirate, matig123, delehal, polemicize & kandiru 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 they build underwater tunnels? How do tunnel boring machines know where they are going? What happens when they meet in the middle? Why do underground tunnels not flood when it rains - doesn't water flow to the middle and collect? ... We explain like i'm five! Thank you to Carl for writing in with this week's question! Also thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: ermoibliye, smodfan, 2CGMicro, chilli0102, garokev, netsecwarrior, salmon_pokebowl, wrsaunders, enrique37, bap710, kylehooks and hotfudgefries 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 ear canal and the eardrum keep itself clear of earwax? Why is only one third of your ear canal able to clear ear wax? What does your jaw have to do with ear wax removal? Did you know that people have one of two types of ear wax based on their genetics? Why have anthropologists done studies on ear wax? ... 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: akadap, h2opolopunk, rthereanynamesleft, dkf295 and martinonfire. This wikipedia article was also helpful in research for this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earwax 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 makes cling film sticky? Why are there competing theories for how it clings? Why is the Saran Wrap product significantly less sticky today than it was before 2004? Why does wrapping a plastic bag around your credit card help it scan? ... 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: 4emonas, jbloom43, genghiskhen, phage0070, meowi_purrr, thirteenera, chippolot, inanecathode, uglydodo, diamondcubeminer, thebladex666, concise_pirate and mattschmie 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 technology work to determine if a tennis ball is in or out? How accurate is it? Why is it difficult to replace all sports officials with systems like hawk eye? ... 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: lo0rdAri, wanikuma, capnaspen, carlr818, keklenny06, woda8566 and th3_gruff 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 tennis scored so oddly? Why do pro tennis players always take 3-4 balls and then discard some immediately before serving? Why do tennis ball cans have a soda lid on them? How does hawk-eye work? ... 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: lo0rdAri, wanikuma, capnaspen, carlr818, keklenny06, woda8566 and th3_gruff 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 happening physically in us when we create a memory? Do our brains move memory in our brains when they transition from short term to long term memory? Why are different types of memories stored in different parts of the brain? What happens to memories when we are drunk? ... 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: lyusifer, tohellwithclevernames, userxblade, gnonthgol, corvinousboy, riedgu, dragonclaud, rebelscientist, fronw-umbrella & emhaz4 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]