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LAUNCH Lab 15

AskReddit/eiivmb6

b12ana

If Harry Potter was American, what would his spells be?

This is only tangentially related to your question, but it always surprised me that Harry never tried to defeat his enemies using Muggle technology and solutions -- after all, he was raised Muggle for most of his life, and pureblood wizards (especially the kinds of wizards Harry fought) would be completely unfamiliar with Muggle stuff and would never expect it. So to answer your question, American Harry would probably have just shot Voldemort.

AskReddit/dg0kmu2

64aabd

Why is Russia in support of Assad?

Very briefly: Putin's Russia wants to become a major world power again. A united Europe is no friend to Russia right now, partly because Russia's internal policies aren't in line with EU thinking, partly because Putin's clearly imperialist goals (he wants to expand Russia's territory in the kind of way the kept European countries battling amongst themselves for years but they have mostly put behind him.) Also Russia has a history (going back to the Soviet Union) of waging so-called "proxy" wars in the middle east - read a brief history of Afghanistan if you want to see this at work. Also, Putin is an autocrat, and not a dummy. He wants to control Muslim-majority regions in the former USSR and current Russia (therefore, hates ISIS) but also form alliances with autocratic, oil rich countries that are not members of the EU. He and Assad are birds of a feather - he can wage proxy war against the US and Europe, defeat ISIS and develop his web of powerful allies that are not Europe.

AskReddit/emn5duc

blbvw1

What’s the weirdest conversation you have ever overheard while in a bathroom stall?

Was in West Virginia. We had co-ed bathrooms. I'm sitting in the middle stall, then I hear two girls stumble in and take the stalls next to mine. I see both get on their knees in front of the toilets and both start loudly vomiting. In between heaves, the girl on my left is drunkenly yelling "I got you girl! Don't worry I got you BLAAAAHHHHHH!"

AskReddit/dtshwru

7vfzrf

For those researching their family tree, what is the craziest thing you discovered about an ancestor?

I'm native American. Aside from seeing where my ancestor had married a frenchman, my family tree goes so far back that Christian names dissapear. Some of the wives do not have names but are simply Omaha wau or ponca wau. Which translates to Omaha/Ponca woman.

AskReddit/drc218g

7k7afz

What does it feel like to be knocked unconscious?

Got knocked out by a blow to the head I didn't see coming, it mostly felt like waking up in a parking lot with a wicked headache. Anesthesia was a little weird. I had nightmares while I was under and woke up mid way through the surgery. The entire experience was rather horrifying.

explainlikeimfive/dj4j05t

6i95fc

How come is it incredibly hard for me to get back in shape at age of 45?

Its a cumulative effect. Testosterone loss is a huge cause of weight gain and the ability to lose weight. However old age in general is also a cause. Your metabolism slows down, hormones drop, life habits (like constant stress) begin hitting you harder than ever, and if you didn't have established muscle (aka old man muscle) its extremely hard to get it set in due to the slower processes. In essence, you have to work twice as hard to get half the effect. Things to help are hormone boosters, specialized diets, and constant work.

explainlikeimfive/edh0pr3

adhx1o

Why are there still 3rd world countries?

The term 3rd world country was a term coined during the cold war to refer to countries not aligned with either the USA or the communist countries. It is still sometimes used to refer to these countries but the term have lost most of its original meaning and is also falling out of favor. However with renewed tensions it is possible that we are entering a new cold war where the term might be relevant again.

explainlikeimfive/d42iic6

4nbn6e

How does health insurance work?

Think of it like car insurance; it's not much different, you're just swapping a car for a person. You drive your car a lot and it's usually working fine. But one day a component in your car breaks and there is about $3000 of damage. If you don't have insurance, you're gonna be paying $3000 out of pocket. But if you have insurance, they might pay most of the bill and leave you with just a fraction of the original cost (might still cost you a few hundred bucks, but significantly less than $3000). If I'm a reckless driver and get in a few accidents, the insurance company will make me pay more per month because I'd be costing them more money. Health insurance works the same way. If you're a very healthy person, you might be considered low-risk, as in there's a better chance nothing will happen to you compared to other people of average health. Therefore you will probably pay less than others. If I have cancer, diabetes or some long-term disease and I try to sign up for health/life insurance, I will probably pay way more than the average Joe because I'm a higher risk (this is the same as being a reckless driver in the car insurance scenario).   The way insurance companies make money is actually very simple, but here's an ELI5 version. Say an insurance company has 10 customers. Each customer pays $15 per month for insurance. At the end of the month, the company has $150. Now say that one of these customers needs a surgery that costs $120. So the company will help pay for this surgery, but it turns out this guy has a condition that'll require lots of money. The insurance company is therefore going to make this guy pay more every month than the other healthy customers. So this guy pays $30 instead of $10. On a wide scale, it's not actually this simple, but that's the basic gist. TL;DR: Think of the company as a big money pool; people throw in money every month, and if I need to take some money out of the pool for a surgery, I do so, but I'll have to pay more to the pool in the coming months to make up for it. Also the person running the pool (insurance company) makes a profit.

explainlikeimfive/da6eu9f

5doz9y

How does the way optic nerve works compare to the way we send video by a cable like HDMI?

They are not similar at all. Hdmi is a way to send data for video this means sending data (binary) that tells the displaying device what color each pixel should be for a certain resolution. But that's all hdmi does. The tv or monitor is what actually takes that info and makes an image generally by shining a light through a screen of some sort that can be manipulated to absorb / bock certain wavelengths thus producing color. Again though this is not similar to how our eyes work.

explainlikeimfive/c57xm8y

vvbd1

Why do people create computer viruses?

Various reasons; 1) Often times the virus is placed on the computer to sell a false "anti-virus" to get rid of it. It's a quick scheme to earn a few bucks, but people fall for it. Oftentimes, the virus is just a simple program that pulls up a big flashing warning, imitates antivirus software (while turning the real thing off) and runs a script that shows countless "virii" in different folders. Really, there is no virus; except for the piece of script telling the user that there is. So, anyway, the script tells the user that to get rid of the virus they have to buy a certain antivirus program, and, flustered, technologically challenged, and concerned about their private data, people do - they hand their credit card number right on over to the company that wrote the virus in the first place. 2) Virus writing can be a hobby; there are people out there who write code, just for fun, to see what they can do. Sometimes, its even part of a college class for software engineers; an exercise designed to get them to think differently about the systems that they are going to work with. While the virii are never supposed to be released into the world, there is little stopping a mischievous student from letting it loose somewhere.

AskReddit/d1hi8k8

4cetsv

What moment changed your life?

Slightly off topic but I changed my sister's entire life by deciding to bail on plans with her to go see about a girl. I was supposed to go to a concert with my sister and a friend, but my friend bailed to see an ex-gf who had a younger sister and said I should go with him. I kept waffling back and forth on what to do, almost as if I knew how life changing this seemingly small decision really was. I decided to go with my friend, met the younger sister and dated her for a year. She convinced my sister to take Chinese with her at college since she had lived there when she was younger and offered to help her with it. My sister never would've taken it on her own. She ended up loving it, majoring it, lived in China for six months two separate times, got a job teaching it to kids in a different city, and met her husband from it. Her job, her city, and her husband, all because I didn't go see the Faint in 2005. It still blows my mind to think about it.

AskReddit/d5h7qr8

4tgp1v

What was the worst hangover you've ever experienced?

Not that long ago, I let an old college buddy convince me to go out with some old friends for dinner. Now, just before this time I'd been sober for several years. More recently, I'd had a drink or two here and there, so I didn't think a few beers would be any big deal. A few beers at a restaurant turned into a night of drinking at a local strip club. I didn't consider that I was probably still somewhat of a lightweight, let myself have a little too much fun, and got taken to VIP by one of the girls who talked me into buying shots for us. I was a little out of practice, but I certainly didn't expect two shots to make me blackout (I've never blacked out before, ever). I vaguely remember leaving some good while later, getting Uber, and puking at least twice.but nothing else of the time there. I woke up the next morning with the most awful hangover one can imagine. It lasted the better part of two days and was genuinely one of the worst experiences of my life. I also discovered I was missing about five hundred bucks I had stashed in my wallet. As I began piecing things together, I began to suspect I'd been drugged to steal my cash. Obviously, I have no way of confirming this, but it makes sense.the quick swing from pretty drunk to blacked out, the violent reaction, the 2-day hangover, and the missing cash. Suffice it to say I went sober again after this experience and if I never see another strip club again, it will be too soon.

AskHistorians/dlkggct

6tcpkd

Was there religious warfare between the people of the Indian subcontinent prior to the arrival of Islam?

I am not an expert, and my knowledge comes from literary history; it is also limited to Western India, but I will try to answer this. As far as traditional Hinduism goes, there was little religious conflict. People from all over the Indian subcontinent often revered the same holy sites and made pilgrimages there. Taking Somnath Patan temple for example, pilgrims from modern day Gujarat (then Kucch, Lat, and Patan), Sindh, Malwa, Chedi, and the South traveled months to visit the temple. They were often looted by bandits or local smaller kingdoms, but as far as religious warfare goes, there was little to none simply because everyone adhered to the same faith. There was some friction between Jains and Hindus. I say some because in those days Jainism had diverged little from Hinduism and it was not uncommon for people to practice both faiths. However, for the most orthodox of Jains or Hindus, this was not a trivial matter. We know that Chanakya (mahaamatya [prime minister] and teacher of Chandragupta, and the brains behind the Maurya dynesty) was slightly disappointed when Chandragupta adapted Jainism later in his life. Much later, in Western India, we know of some friction, if not actual warfare, between Jains and the Solanki (Chalukya) dynesty- especially in times of Karnadeva I and Siddharaj Jaysinh (1064-1142). This was after Mahmud Ghazni's two campaigns throughout India, so technically, at this point, Islam is introduced, but since Mughals have not arrived yet, I'm going to oversee that. Jain merchants were gaining a lot of power through wealth and started to enter politics. Jain cities, like Chandravati, were starting to gain influence in the Solanki courtroom. Wife of Karnadeva I, Minaldevi, also a Jain. As a result, there was obvious resistance from the orthodox Hindus on basis of religion, as well as political resistance, simply because of a newly emerged political power. Do keep in mind that at this point, many still considered these two to be the same religion in practice, so when we talk of friction, it is mostly limited to an orthodox minority and politics. Lastly, there are some literary legends of a minority of Jain monks who sought to unite Gujarat, and later, the rest of India, under a zealous Jain faith to counter the growing Islamic threat from the West. They believed that Muslim invaders like Mahmud Ghazni can only be countered by an equally zealous people, united under one faith; this put them at odds with the more tolerant and libertarian majority. But I can't vouch for its historical legitimacy, this is just an interesting point that I have come across in various literature.

AskReddit/dlxuq37

6v5gf6

What things about today will we feel nostalgic about 20 years from now?

Going to a movie theater. Sure haters gonna hate. but in 20 years assuming the tech continues to develop, should be more than feasible to give everyone IMAX experience from home, even including the social element (of telling VR avatars/friends next to you to shut up during the movie).

askscience/ccr1qsa

1odg2e

If two different species have similar genome sizes, is it likely they contain the same number of genes?

Genome size is the number of base pairs in the entire DNA sequence of the species. Most of that DNA is non-coding, meaning not part of genes. So a larger genome could just mean more non-coding DNA, and the same number of genes.

AskReddit/cn0hnsv

2pw1ec

Why do people get upset when real fur is used in clothing, but not when leather is used?

Depends on the people. Probably has to do with the fact that most things with fur are cute and easier to market as "ANIMAL CRUELTY" whereas, well, everyone eats beef. So, I guess cows need better PR?

explainlikeimfive/cw6g14w

3phyi1

Why is the majority of the world's population right-handed?

> I would think that humans would be naturally ambidextrous. Superior manual dexterity isn't free, it takes up real estate in the brain. Since having two dexterous hands offers little advantage over one, the real estate is put to other, better uses. > I know that there are parents that train their children to be primarily right-handed, but is that the only reason? Other primates have dominant hands, but it is usually more of a 50-50 split. When humans started using tools, many wound up being constructed in a way they worked better in one hand than the other. Having most of your population with the same handedness made it easier to share those tools.

explainlikeimfive/dum53oh

7z89hy

When you lay patches of grass sod, how do they blend together and form one lawn?

The grass sends out rhizomes and tries to fill in blank areas. With a good soil bed, aggressive watering and tamping to start, it will send down roots sideways as well as deep. After soaking it in, cut it off from watering. The roots will chase the water and get a good grip on the underlying soil. After you can no longer pull up a corner of the sod, it's happy and you can water and not water as you see fit. This takes time. No sod companies ever do this, but I always have had best luck when I've cut my own sod, to really soak and hammer at it with a tamper. It will look like death when you're done. The grass is OK, don't worry, now that it's all stressed out, it's going to try to re-root and should be good after a few months. You're not laying carpet, you're planting sod. It needs time to take. I can't tell you the number of times I've seen pretty sod laid on a new property where, even after months, you can still pull a full roll of sod up. It stays green because it's watered daily, but it's not growing. It's just resting on the surface.

explainlikeimfive/dusq8e7

803bm9

Who comes up with color names?

Companies. Specifically, marketing departments in companies. When they make products/colors they choose what they are called. Think of cars, make up, pigments. There are also standards for naming/numbering colors when it comes to technology, like the internet, printing, screens. That's because many different people will have to use the same reference to get the same consistent result. But a lot of the names for "typical" colors are passed down over the ages.

askscience/ec7urhe

a83c7x

What makes an MRI so loud?

The strongest magnetic field, 1.5 or 3 Tesla is made with a superconductor. The current in that doesn’t change or mage any noise. Then there are gradient coils that apply a spatial variance of the field - it’s how you get a 3D image. These are the ones whose wires make the sounds. They are excited in different patterns and rates which is why the sounds are different. The rf coil is even lower power and is used to excite and receive the information. It’s also a much higher frequency signal that well beyond our hearing range. I spent a year doing mri research.

AskReddit/dtuamrb

7vqhs4

What is the creepiest missing persons case?

ID guy in my community went missing a few years ago. His 2nd floor apartment was locked when workers got there for the next shift and he wasn't picked up on any cameras being taken out. Overnight worker was asleep (normal for shift).

AskReddit/eimjk6n

b1lgrd

For either side in a religious debate, what’s the weirdest, stupidest, craziest argument someone has used to justify their side?

Not totally a debate, but I’m in an honors class that’s currently researching our second essay topic. This one Baptist girl had ALREADY written about why she thinks creationism should be a part of the biology curriculum in 9th grade, and now she’s writing about it again. I don’t know how to tell her that there are classes that allow the studying of theism, because I’ve already tried and obviously she won’t listen.

AskReddit/euiuvt3

cgnu9i

Who is your child secretly named after?

I don’t have kids, but listen to this one because it is a doozie. My dad named me after seeing my name written beautifully in cursive on the side of a horse trailer. Then, and I cannot make this up, twenty five years later he started dating the woman whose horse trailer it was (it was her name on the trailer). I’m named after my dad’s now ex-gf.

askscience/c5noe5j

xmg9y

Has cancer always been this prevalent?

There are several reasons that cancer is more prevalent (or appears more prevalent) in recent years. 1) Age is the #1 risk factor for cancer. In other words, the older you are, the more likely you are to develop it. This means that as the rest of medicine gets better, and lifespans are extended, cancer is more likely. 2) We are much better at detecting and diagnosing cancer than 200 years ago. The better we are at seeing it, the more people we realize have it. 3) Lifestyle factors (smoking, diet, obesity, exercise) together account for roughly 2/3rds of the cancer we see in the US. In the past 100 years, smoking rates have exploded (although they are on the decline now), and there is an epidemic of obesity. This greatly increases the number of cancer cases each year. 4) Cancer treatment has extended the lifespan of people with cancer by many years. This means that there are more people alive who either have cancer or have had cancer. This is the "awareness" factor that can make it appear more prevalent.

AskReddit/c1rtttk

h18d9

Would we have more advancements in medicines, cosmetics, etc, if we tested products on humans?

Plenty of trials are conducted on humans. Possibly not on fringe items you deem to be "out there". But there is a constant stream of clinical trials conducted for profit on humans.

AskReddit/dwaernf

875os1

What is your favorite American stereotype?

Excessive clapping. Every time I come across a green text exaggerating American stereotypes the clapping gets me. I'm afraid of flying and had no idea that some people actually clapped when planes landed until my fiancee told me.

explainlikeimfive/d1q3pbb

4de3ms

Why do professors continuously write exams with extremely low averages and then curve, rather than write easier exams?

if they set the bar too low, they wouldn't get a representative sample of what the class understands. For example: if you're in calculus class, and the test only has "what is 2+2?" on it, then obviously everyone will pass. Which tells the professor nothing. If, however, there is a wide sampling of problems of varying difficulty, the professor and his staff can accurately gauge where the students are having trouble. Effectively, this is one of those areas where failure is probably more significant than success - having the entire class fail on one chapter tells the professor that he or she maybe didn't do a good job explaining, or the TAs need to spend more time on that area. They wouldn't know this if the tests were so easy that everyone would pass. To say nothing of the fact that people need to be challenged in order to grow.

explainlikeimfive/drr3l9p

7m2tif

Why does our voice change when we close our nose?

Your voice is the result of a bunch of interactions of different sound waves bouncing around inside of your mouth and sinuses; closing your nose means it'll bounce back some waves back into the rest of the system, and others will be absorbed into your nose and go nowhere. Changing the way the sound waves bounce around changes the actual sound you get.

AskReddit/ckwhib0

2hvo2g

What's the one joke you absolutely love, but no one you've told it to has liked?

very few like this one: What did Hitler say to his soldiers before they got in their tanks? Get in your tank. EDIT. for those who don't get it, the joke is you'd imagine he'd give them a big pep talk, or that given hitler is an important person he'd say something else. But actually it's just stupid. Logically, yes he might have told them to get in their tanks. Google the word bathos.

explainlikeimfive/dei8pui

5xhrwq

Why do fans usually have 5 blades instead of more?

The fewer blades a fan has, the more efficiently it moves air for a given energy expenditure. More blades interfere with each other aerodynamically. However, to get the full effect, those fewer blades have to be longer, which takes up more space. 3-5 blades represent a compromise between space and efficiency.

AskReddit/cjglrke

2clg1v

How did you escape the 9-5 work life?

After being in the catering business I have just recently got into a 9-5 life and I am loving it. I don't see all the hatred for working 9-5. Great social hours and you are in a routine which I think is great.

AskReddit/cqy68pe

34uiqi

What areas of the world are worth traveling to by yourself?

I spent most of my time in Saint Petersburg, Russia alone (though I was traveling with a small group (they broke off to go see other things)) and it was wonderful. In my opinion, traveling with people is always better, especially in places that you do not understand/speak the native language.

AskReddit/cexc6sz

1vzrcd

What is the most effective way to tell a dog that another dog has died?

They will figure it out pretty quickly. It is trying to help your dog cope. When one of our dogs died, the other went into a deep depression. We tried to help her cope by playing with her, toys, etc. However, it was when we got another dog that she got out of her funk. She needed a dog companion. If you can, schedule playdates with other dogs, it may help because he/she can socialize with another dog. Leaving the TV or radio on is a great idea too. Sorry for your loss friend. I don't feel like we see our dogs as pets, they are our family.

AskReddit/dcupmzz

5py1x5

What "don't tell mom" moments have you shared with your dad?

When my std testing came back in the mail. My father and I shared the same name so he opened it thinking it was for him. I knew I had nothing to worry about (New gf at the time said it was a good idea for both of us to do it), but I just wanted to get that letter first before having to have an awkward conversation with my parents.

AskReddit/d328zf3

4iyqc1

Why does no post at this time of the day ever make it to the front page ?

Because more than half of Reddits users are American, and the best time to post is during the workday. Accounting for the time differences, it is past average work hours on both coasts.

AskReddit/clsp9zz

2l9o6y

What would be the most economical thing to fill a car with as a prank?

Dough. Flour, water, yeast. Mix it up until it's doughy, then stick it in the car. The best part is, you don't need to 'fill' the car up. Just a little over 1/3 to 1/2 full, and when it rises it will completely fill the inside, especially if it's a warm day.

askscience/cd9ahdr

1q51cn

How to estimate energy output of a candle?

Not what you are asking for, but in one seminar I attended the professor said a good rough estimate for the power output of a small flame is 10W. For instance, if you're gas stove's burner has 10 flames it's about 100W.

AskReddit/c9rtelu

1dmt5b

How did you meet your SO?

In 1992, I was introduced to Sarah by her best friend, Lori, who I met through diving camp. Lori and I briefly hooked up, and after we stopped hooking up, she suggested I give her best friend and neighbor, Sarah, a call. Sarah went to my high school, but was two grades below me. I took Lori's advice, called Sarah, went out on a date and continued dating though high school and up until my sophomore year in college (3 years total). I moved away to Virginia Beach after college and hadn't seen Sarah in 18 years. Last year my grandmother died, and Sarah showed up for the funeral, ending the 18 year streak of not seeing each other. I was blown away how beautiful she was and asked her if she wanted to go to the park and catch up on the past twenty years of our lives. I went back to Virginia and we started a daily chat routine on the phone and decided to give it another shot. Nearly a year later we are still together.

AskReddit/dthgmno

7u3kh7

What game or movie universe would you most like to live in?

I see a lot of violence, magic, sci-fi, survival, or relaxation genres. I'd worry about not being in the ideal position in those. I mean I could be in the Harry Potter universe but be a muggle, now nothing's different. I'd pick an indie fetish game that I won't name where everyone was equally having a grand 'ol time, so it'd basically be pleasurable place with no danger and no chance for me to end up in a bad role.

AskReddit/ccnx1m5

1o17rv

What's the most ignorant thing you've heard from an otherwise normal/intelligent person?

A childhood friend i've known for years was giving me a lift to the train station, as he was driving he didn't use the blinker even once, i asked him about it and his answer was "It dosen't concern other people where i am going".

AskReddit/ce63zt6

1taxmq

Is it possible, under any circumstances, that another solar system might cross ours, within our life time?

no, this is not possible. Unless it is an alien civilisation, or a solar system that has been flung from the orbit of a black hole, but even then we may stilll not notice it if it coasts by. If it was an entire solar system actually we would notice it coming towards us I think but we may have some warning.

AskReddit/cwyh75i

3sm4h7

What's the worst product in the world, that somehow became successful?

Leaded gasoline - was absolutely no need for it and it caused endless environmental damage (and health damage to generations of people). Freon (CFCs) - The same guy went on to invent Freon for refrigeration and thousands of other products (anything in an aerosol can) caused the vast majority of damage to the planet's ozone layer. Two roaringly successful products, two absolutely terrible products -- one inventor, Thomas Midgley.

AskReddit/cm515x4

2mkczf

What's a promise you made to yourself when you were younger, only to break it once you got older?

I promised myself that I would live close enough to my mom to see her at least once a week and be by her side whenever she needed something Now I live on the other side of the world and I talk to her maybe once a week and I am convinced that every one of her problems can be solved because I send her good money to take care of herself and my younger brother which is not completely true. I hate myself for not providing emotional support to them but I also wouldn't be able to give them a good life if I lived in my home country. It's a catch-22 situation

AskReddit/ei4kppf

az0v4b

What's the worst thing you have ever stepped on or in?

Okay okay get this, one time I was in my soccer cleats running out the garage to catch my ride. I was running to get under the garage door in time and stepped on a live toad. In my cleats. And blood splattered everywhere. I think the noise was the worst part tho

AskReddit/esoidgx

c8p3ll

What is the absolute WORST restaurant dining experience you’ve had?

Olive Garden. I’ve only been three times. I don’t eat meat. I told the waitress ahead of time. She brought the wrong food, which had meat. All food looks the same? So I didn’t realize til I saw the meat. I didn’t get mad, didn’t yell. The manager came out, kinda rudely took the plate, and didn’t even serve what I ordered. I think they were really busy, but it’s still uncool. She expected me to pay for it as well �‍♀️. I literally walked out. All sorts of wtf.

AskReddit/dfvut09

63p0qn

What's a good sign that you're raising your kids right?

Well it depends what your criteria for good is. Like, stereotypical Asian kid, good at school, going to Harvard, but isn't great socially. Or the kid who's a right laugh, got awesome people skills, but hates school. Both could be good or bad in a parents eyes. What do you consider important?

AskReddit/d883ny2

5574gi

What are some of the best movies based on a true story?

City of God. I watched it without knowing it was a true story and when I found out I was floored. The whole thing is insane, and then they show you pictures of the actual people and news articles about them during the closing credits. I had to watch it again the next day. It's still the movie I recommend to people who say they hate foreign films, because it's great.

explainlikeimfive/ce9fdnl

1tmlt7

What were to happen if the Panama Canal's locks were all open at the same time?

The locks are in place because the canal climbs up a hill to Gatun Lake, and then back down the other side (this was done to minimize the amount of excavation work that needed to be done). If all the locks were open, the lake would drain into the ocean a bit more quickly is all.

explainlikeimfive/cmltrmh

2o9rq2

If I was thrown into the future, how far would I go before I could't understand "Future English"?

Education tends to slow down the evolution of a language by standardizing the spoken and written language. Even around WW1, affluent Americans spoke with a different accent from working class Americans. On the other hand, areas that receive minimal or no formal education, the language tends to evolve much faster. For example, ebonics, pidgin and various creole languages developed fairly quickly in the absence of a formal education. In the future you may not understand contemporary analogies, cultural references and newly coined terms, assuming western society is stable enough to teach English to a sizable population. There is a certain reality that English being a "universal language" is only about 200 years old. Largely influenced by the dominance of the British empire and USA after WW2. Had France under Napoleon or Germany in WW1 or WW2 been successful, far fewer people would be native English speakers, and thus become more regionalized. We can't predict when in the future a new superpower would evolve and establish a new "universal" language, and thus introduce new words into English. Or even a fall of society, and a new dark ages, which would rapidly change English into multiple regional dialects.

AskReddit/ciopjpr

29uw3d

What is something you love but is ruined for you by its fan base?

While it isn't "ruined" by the fan base I really hate calling myself a gamer. I can't go to any sort of comments section on a video game site or subreddit because the people just can't be civil or have intelligent conversation.

AskHistorians/c7lzh5c

15f6pl

Why was Locke's "Life, Liberty and Property" replaced with "Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness" in the Declaration of Independence?

So I've been wracking my brain for weeks trying to figure out who it was, but I recently was reading an article on the early Italian Renaissance, and I think actually there was an artist who used the phrase, "life, liberty, and happiness," a hundred years or so prior to Locke. It's really annoying me that I didn't save the article!

AskReddit/cl871oa

2j443m

What is the absolute worst time your phone's battery has died on you?

a girlfriend and I were having a hot texting convo and she asking if I'd like a threesome with a friend of hers from out of town on business. before I could respond, the phone totally died. I was sad.

askscience/c55im7f

vksxp

Can ALL physics be represented mathematically?

Can all ideas be represented in English? Mathematics is the language of physics, and so even when there have been things historically which we cannot represent mathematically, we eventually discovered the right "words" in the form of new branches of mathematics.

AskReddit/diz0jv4

6hkhd1

What is the best way to melt a tuna?

If you mean a tuna melt. Mix tuna with desired mayonnaise/other toppings. Put tuna mix on desired bread Add other toppings like onions/pickles if you wish to Add a fine layer of cheese (I love a lot of cheese) Stick in oven until cheese is sufficiently melted Enjoy your badass tuna melt And there you have it: how to melt a tuna

AskReddit/c1iyach

fvllj

How to be a better/the best girlfriend?

Trust him completely until he gives you good reason not to. Don't be the girlfriend who has to text every 15 minutes while he's out with the guys or call him if he's 5 minutes later getting home than usual. Nothing will kill a relationship faster than smothering him.

AskReddit/d5neqfr

4u77fv

What do you think about traveling alone?

Well, you don't have to wander around with your SO, friends and family while they take silly photos all the time. Every experience has to include a picture. And that's the best way to ruin the experience. Oh and all the all the tourist shops. Those little devil stands. Not that there's anything wrong with it, I just might be a bit stale traveling partner.

AskReddit/eps72vn

bvs9dz

Why do you think Brits & Australians have a darker sense of humour than Americans?

From everything I’ve heard I should apparently move, seeing as I’m an introverted, car-less, sarcastic, and dark-humored American. The only thing I can’t live without is my crappy but comforting American drip coffee which I have never found in exactly the same form in another country

AskReddit/dbol1w6

5kknuc

Why is $19.99 such a common price for as seen on tv products and such?

In addition to what a couple of posters said below, I once heard that $19.99 is such a common price because it's cheap enough so that if something goes wrong, the buyer won't want to send it back ("Oh, it was only $20, anyway") yet pricey enough so that the seller makes a profit.

AskReddit/c141451

dz5v7

How many of you donate blood?

Both of my dogs donate blood on a regular basis. Pets need blood too. They get free blood work done, free nail trimming, and get a free toy when they are finished. I drop them off and the process takes around an hour.

askscience/cz7dirl

422cvt

Do two like charged particles keep increasing each other's kinetic energy?

But how did you get the particles close to each other in the first place? To get them to that position, you have had to expend energy. In general, we talk about the sum of the kinetic and potential energies. The further the particles are away from each other, the kinetic energies are increasing, the potential energies decreasing, so that the sum is constant.

AskReddit/e3i4czd

9443og

How do pain killers know which body part is in pain to help it?

All pain is rooted in the brain. I believe painkillers effect the way your brain receives those messages. This would explain to me why too many pain killers works like too much booze, it’s confusing the input to your brain, or the way your brain is processing that input.

AskReddit/cn7jfs7

2qmtvp

What do you want to get out of life?

To leave the Earth in some way just a little better than I found it - and to convince my future children that this is what they should want out of life as well. Current ways that I hope to implement this plan: educate myself on everything I vote for, work in foreign service, and maybe after that become a teacher or mental health counselor.

AskReddit/dvbhj1u

82o60d

How do people born deaf and blind communicate and develop skills in early and later life?

nowadays in developed countries there is the cochlea implant that basically eradicates deafness in our societies. there are a bunch of deaf communities fighting tooth and nail to keep their culture from dieing. anyway back to your question. to communicate you need someone to teach you that stuff can have abstract meaning, so for example they give you a plushy teddybear and "draw" an X on your hand whenever you hold it. so if you want to have the teddy bear you draw the X on the hand of your caregiver and the can give it to you. and through a long and hard process you learn to read and write through your tactile sense and the world opens up to you.

AskHistorians/cj345sq

2b8c5s

What was the last empire that fell and broke into today's countries?

The Soviet Union dissolved in 1991, and many other eastern bloc countries broke loose. Czechoslovakia dissolved in 1993, but I'm not sure that it meets the definition of empire.

AskReddit/dqyz4rs

7ii7d5

In your opinion, what is the sexiest accent someone can have?

Not necessarily sexiest, but for most attractive German has always been near the top of my list. Not, like, scary German, like what most media protrays, but realistic, calm and casual German. It's just so cute on a girl.

AskReddit/eexjx3a

ajoykn

What odd thing have you heard before that you never questioned and why?

That I’m only white because the black washed off me in the bathtub. I was in kindergarten when I first heard it, but it stuck with me for a while. Then like fourth grade rolled around and I actually remember realizing that was stupid. I never questioned it because I went to an all black school and I always like baths more than showers. So it made some sense in the mind of a child. Moral of the story, white people aren’t the only racists

AskReddit/dhprcc8

6bv89i

What's the most shocking celebrity death?

Princess Diana was incredibly shocking. I remember being a young kid and seeing the news report on it. Didn't quite comprehend the enormity of it, but looking back, my mom couldn't believe my brothers and I didn't wake her up to tell her. My mother never seemed to care about celebrities at all.

AskReddit/cqlrnr5

33kdjp

How many adults here still sleep with a stuffed animal at night?

I've always slept with a build a bear since I was a child. I'm almost 19 now so I guess an adult. The most recent one is a rainbow bear from build a bear and I named him spooter because I call my boyfriend that (:

AskReddit/cc46sol

1lz024

How do you stop your self thinking about Cringey things you have done in the past ?

Start working on loving and accepting yourself better. The root of those "cringe" feelings is that you are self-conscious. Your insecure mind is replaying those memories because you've gotten comfortable with accepting the idea that you are not worthy. Let me tell you now, internet stranger, you are totally worthy of love and acceptance. Don't doubt yourself. As others have mentioned, stop yourself from thinking those negative thoughts whenever you feel them surfacing. Take it a step further, and affirm your inner-dialogue that what is done and past is all history and that whatever details it likes to bring up to make you feel inadequate are incorrect. You're a beautiful person, OP. Embrace yourself, forgive yourself, and BE YOURSELF! Oh, and even if someone else thought you were bring awkward in any given moment, they have long since forgotten. No need to berate yourself for the way you imagine how others perceive you.

explainlikeimfive/cuhnxod

3imbsz

Why does China keep building housing but never lowering the prices of them?

China is a heavily managed economy. The government of China wants to show low unemployment numbers and high GDP to the rest of the world as a display of economic strength. To that end, the government commissions construction projects to put people to work. There may not be a need for the construction project, but that isn't what is important - its the jobs that matter. Once the project is done, the workers move onto another project, regardless of whether or not the previous building/house/road is being used or if the next building/house/road is required. Again, its the jobs that matter. This leads to large numbers of homes- sometimes entire cities - being empty.

AskHistorians/ckr9320

2hb9ms

Why didn't the Persians take advantage of the Peloponnesian war in order to invade Greece?

Well, they did sort of. The Spartan deal with the Persians greatly favored the Persians. While the Spartans got money for a fleet (and not much else--the Persians didn't even tell the Spartans what they were supposed to do with their ships, even though the leading Spartan generals had no idea what they were doing) the Persians were granted control of all the cities of Asia Minor, from which they had been pushed at the end of the Persian Wars. The Greeks fully expected the Persians to try a third time, at the very least to secure Ionia and the other Greek cities of Asia Minor. It is extremely fortunate for the Greeks that Xerxes' death began a period of extreme upheaval in Persia, with multiple satrapies in revolt and lots of disputes over the throne. Xerxes' successor, Artaxerxes, attempted a series of massive ritual and administrative reforms, while also trying to squash insurrections like the one in Egypt, which was Athenian-led and caused a major problem. During much of the Peloponnesian War the Persians were busy with their own civil squabbles, as Darius II marched on the throne after his brother was assassinated and trying to keep the eastern satrapies in the fold. Most Persian actions were carried out by the satrap Tissaphernes more or less independently. Across the reigns of several Great Kings, Tissaphernes proved to be a master of diplomatic action, playing the Greeks off against each other and giving each side support in turn, but only enough to ensure that the struggle be prolonged, not that anyone would actually win. But why didn't the Persians invade at the end of the war? First, Greece wasn't quite so weak as it may seem. Although order had been thoroughly disrupted and Greece was in shambles (the Peloponnese in particular was devastated, a result of ruthless Athenian raids on coastal towns and farmland), the Lacedaemonians were the sole hegemon in the Peloponnese and had tied their allies to the north, namely the Boeotians, to them with ever-increasing bonds of military assistance and tribute. For about a decade the Lacedaemonians were incredibly powerful, although after the Corinthian War, when pretty much everyone in Greece banded together to overthrow the Spartans (who had not only lied about their promises of liberation--see what they did to the Ionians--but were exacting tribute several times higher than what had been paid to the Athenians--on their own allies, not just their subjects--and also dared to install garrisons in many allied cities) Greece devolved into a state of near-anarchy. Persia was having its own trouble. The insurrection of Cyrus the Younger coincided exactly with the end of the Peloponnesian War, obviously preventing the Great King from doing anything in Europe. And the Ten Thousand, while not immediately damaging, were still extremely jarring, since they were able to march around pretty much at will. The Persians were also subject themselves to invasion from the Greeks, not vice versa, when Agesilaus landed in Asia Minor to liberate the Ionian cities (which, yes, they had handed over to the Persians--the Spartans weren't the best at keeping friends, especially after their victory over the Athenians). This invasion, while of doubtful success, was enough to really ruffle Persian feathers, and even resulted in the death of Tissaphernes, who, despite his invaluable assistance previously, paid for his failures during this campaign and his failure to annihilate the Ten Thousand with his head. So Persia was really not in a position to mount a large land invasion of the Greek mainland, especially considering how immensely costly it would be. And things in Persia weren't much more organized than in Greece in the 4th Century. Artaxerxes III defeated his rivals in a bloodbath of assassination and civil war, and although he did manage to finally squash most of the rebellions (including the one in Egypt), by his death in 338 things weren't particularly stable. His minister Bagoas (who probably murdered him and murdered all his children and a whole bunch of people) killed his successor, Artaxerxes IV, all his children, a whole bunch of satraps, and pretty much anyone he could get his hands on until finally in need of a Great King (because, being a eunuch outside the royal family he couldn't do it) he finally settled on Darius III, Artaxerxes IV's rather lacklustre nephew, who ended up killing Bagoas. So yeah, lots and lots of civil unrest for the Persians. This doesn't mean that Persia didn't do anything. During much of this period the Great Kings were occupied with civil, Egyptian, or eastern concerns, and most diplomacy and campaigning in the west was left to the satraps, mostly Tissaphernes and Pharnabazus. The latter was instrumental, because while Tissaphernes was a good diplomat he lacked military oomph, and Pharnabazus convinced Artaxerxes to put his faith not in Persian armies, but in the fleet. In the aftermath of Agesilaus' invasion of Asia Minor, Pharnabazus, enlisting the support of Conon, an Athenian admiral who spent the rest of his life after the Peloponnesian War on a personal vendetta of revenge against Sparta, wiped the Spartan fleet off the face of the globe, and was able to reclaim not only Asia Minor, but most of the Aegean cities in one stroke, undoing all Agesilaus' saber-waving.

AskReddit/dd89fgo

5rlpsw

What event changed your political views?

Lot of things. Trump made me turn away from the party and look for a third party (in CA so it doesnt matter anyways). Voted Gary Johnson and while he made so many stupid choicws, introduced me to the LP and change my view on drugs, war, and some other stuff. Then spent quite some time watching videos from Ron Paul, Rand Paul, Austin Petersen, and other linertarian figures.

AskReddit/dnh7d1i

72b6c9

What's the most age-inappropriate thing you were shown at school?

At my old primary (elementary) school we had to get a note signed by our parents to watch PG movies until Year 6 (age 12) but yeah a movie about Indonesian culture showing a bull getting beheaded is completely fine to show to a group of 10 Years olds without any notes or warnings.

AskReddit/e0n6tln

8qz02m

What is your all time favorite post apocalypse novel?Why did you enjoy it?

Not a single novel, but two side by side series. Until The End Of The World series, and then the City series which runs in a parallel timeline during the same apocalypse, written by Sarah Lyons Fleming. Her stories are SO well written, deeply researched and absolutely gut wrenching at times.

explainlikeimfive/ci9k8fh

28cd1b

How can approx 5,000 ISIS fighters take over nearly half of Iraq?

Because the iraq army is dealing with deserters, and they have little to no experience in real combat against a trained force with an ideology backing them. The ISIS is fearless the iraqi army on the otherhand not so much.

askscience/ebcyf1b

a48dup

Can scars form on the inside of the body as well?

Father had colon cancer surgery 20 years ago. Successful result. He just went in for emergency surgery the other day. Scarring from the previous surgery resulted in a complete bowel obstruction. The old scars somehow, after 20 years, caused it. He's now down about 2 feet of small intestine and recovering. Doing well!

AskReddit/d1p99vb

4davgw

What's the most ridiculous thing you've gotten away with in school?

Back in '88 when i was 14 the teachers considered me a computer geek so I was allowed the keys to the school computer room when the part-time teacher wasn't there. I used the school modem and phone line to dial other counties to download dirty stories and pictures, print them out on the schools dot matrix printer, and sell them to kids in school for £1 a page. I've no idea how they didn't notice the massive phone bill. I guessed it would be around £200 a week which was a lot back then.

AskReddit/es5mozh

c62282

Have you ever saved a life if so how?

My partner of 8 years tried to commit suicide about two years into dating her, I stopped her, got her to hospital and told her parents about everything. We took her to many different counsellors, none of which were able to help. I’ve given her so much time and love and positive support that her family are in general agreement that she wouldn’t have made it this far in life due to a traumatic past. This year, after years of waiting for specific counselling, she did a very stressful course related to her PTSD, she had to re-live her childhood trauma as an adult and deal with it all again. At the start of the course she took a test and her scores were in the numbers where she could have been admitted to hospital or more. Six months on and a lot of crying later, she is now at a normal level and looking forward to starting university. I’m not sure if I did save her life, but I’ve definitely helped her recover and pushed her towards a future she will enjoy. It’s been very hard for me to see her so down, I’ve lost two jobs from not turning up when she’s had bad days, but as of now I have been in my latest job for a year and a half and I have completed my first year of a degree. We’re moving out together to start a real life, where six years ago, this seemed impossible to achieve.

askscience/c42wzn4

r4qlz

What happens in your body/brain when you react to things like scratching on a blackboard?

I think the best example of this, besides nails on a chalkboard, is babies screaming. They have a super high-pitched wail that we naturally find to be one of the most annoying sounds on earth. The sound of a baby screaming literally makes me want to strangle things.

AskReddit/eq4960u

bx7kny

What game made you fall in love with gaming?

I grew up gaming. When I was a kid my mom and dad would go over to one of my dad's coworkers to play D&D. My brother would and my dad's coworker's oldest son and daughter would also play D&D and I would have to play with my sisters and his coworker's daughters. I'd always ask to play but he wouldn't let me. When the gaming session was over I'd always ask "who won, dad?" when we were walking up the stairs and he'd always say with an enthusiastic but growly low voice "the good guys." When I turned 7 he let me roll up a character and play with the adults. I played a samurai (ranger) and was hooked. I've been playing ever since. ​ If you're talking about video games, still my dad and my brother. Dad and my brother always played Secrets of the Azure Bonds and Pool of Radiance on computer and Final Fantasy on the Nintendo. Later my dad had this WWII submarine game where I had to help him navigate and stuff. Like I"d be out playing and he'd call me into the living room to help him navigate or something.I don't recall the specifics but

explainlikeimfive/etlofdk

ccbbc9

Why is everyone blaming the "boomers" for today's economy?

To add to what others had said, they created a tax policy that incentivized outsourcing jobs and paying workers as little as possible while shifting as much of the money and profits as possible to the already-wealthy investors. They decreased the funding for government research & development that helped the US be a tech leader in the 50s and 60s while cutting their own taxes and driving up the national debt. They focused on making themselves as wealthy as possible at the cost of the environment while pushing the debt and cleanup costs to the next generation. Privatized profits and socialized debt. Edit: I want to add that this is not a problem of the past. The Trump tax cuts tripled the deficit, adding trillions to the national debt while almost all of the benefits are going to the already wealthy boomers that are now in their 60s, 70s, and 80s.

AskReddit/d9e55se

5a73ww

What was a very close call to almost being caught masturbating at home (in your past)?

I was masturbating downstairs in my house a good few years ago, with my mum and her boyfriend supposedly sleeping upstairs. I hear someone coming downstairs but I can't cover up quickly enough so I dive behind the couch just before he opens the door. I kind of poke my head over the couch and he sees me and chuckles. I don't know if he knew what was going on or if he thought I was trying to hide just because I was meant to sleeping too and heard someone coming.

AskReddit/d5i9zsg

4tlr7k

What is worth paying one million dollars for?

With one million dollars you can live with around 2000$ a month for 40 years. That's what I would do, just enjoy life, traveling and knowing that I could try things without having to live a life of work responsibilities and schedules and stress.

AskReddit/edqfyr6

aem7na

How realistic is to stick to only cash for paying for things and ditching things like debit or credit cards?

You need to keep some credit in order to have a good credit score, but it's possible to use it for only certain things (like buying gas every week and immediately paying it off.) I use cash for most of my shopping. When I run out of cash, I stop buying things.

explainlikeimfive/cdcco3c

1qfpl4

Why, as a part of the British Commonwealth, does Australia call its currency Dollars?

Because we got rid of the Pound and replaced it with decimal currency. The Prime Minister of the time wanted to call it the Royal but the public quickly shouted that suggestion down. In the end it was decided to just go with the name that the US was using for their decimal currency. The word Dollar itself is a basterdised form of the German "Thaler". As to why Australia got rid of the Pound it was because there was 20 Shillings per Pound and 12 Pence per Shilling. It was a pretty awkward currency. The switch to the Dollar is around the same time that Australia also started switching to the Metric System.

AskReddit/csg39he

3aulr7

What is an interesting fact about one of your ancestors?

One of my ancestors (I think it's greatx6 grandfather) moved to Illinois in the early 1800's and founded the town of Elkheart and became the mayor. It slowly grew as people settled the area. Later on he was involved as the defendant in a libel case and a young lawyer from Illinois by the name of Abraham Lincoln represented him and he was acquitted. Later on after he died, Abraham Lincoln was the executor of his will and divided up his estate. In the family history we have, it appears that whenever then Mr. Lincoln passed through Elkheart, he stayed with the family and often shared a bed with my great x6 grandfather, as was the customs of the times. He was a family friend. It was many years later he was elected president.

AskReddit/dj3dfbb

6i44lk

What are the pros and cons of sobriety?

So, there is a history of alcoholism on my fathers side. As such, having witnessed it first hand, it's just something I've never wanted to do. I've never been drunk. However, I routinely hang out with those who do, when they do. Some benefits of it are, I never have to worry about how I'm getting home, I get free soda in bars, I don't have to worry about what I said/texted while drunk, no hang overs. Some cons would be constantly having to repeat why I don't drink, repeating that yes, I am fine if you drink in front of me, Yes, I'm sure I don't want a drink. really, just all the questions that come with it.

AskReddit/c5ov5o5

xr5ui

Is it illegal to take appliances such as washers and dryers from a home if it is foreclosed?

Yes. Don't listen to the people who can't spell for advice. Items which are plumbed into a house are almost always considered part of the real property. Now if you were to replace the nice washer, dryer, or fridge in your house with something cheap off craigslist the bank may never know the difference. Then again they might, it's your gamble.

askscience/cav989f

1hkpgt

If a nuclear weapon detonated in the silo, what would happen to other nukes stored there?

The general response is, "no possibility of a chain reaction." In general it takes rather precise conditions for a nuclear weapon to detonate correctly, so, say, setting them on fire and hitting them with heavy pressure waves ought not do that. On the other hand, as I'm mulling it over, I'm thinking about whether the neutrons from an exploding bomb could possibly induce further fissions in fissionable material sitting nearby. My thoughts are still "probably not," because said fissionable material inside of weapons is generally encased in materials that reflect neutrons, so that shouldn't be an issue. If you set off a nuke (improbably) surrounded by lots of fissile material, perhaps that could produce additional fissions. Hydrogen bombs work in part by inducing fissions in unenriched uranium, but my understanding is you need rather precise conditions for that, very physically near the exploding bomb itself, and I doubt that conditions in a silo would replicate this.

explainlikeimfive/ckoynwd

2h364y

How do mirrors work?

A mirror is just an extremely smooth metal surface. All the light that hits it bounces off in an almost perfectly reflected angle, as opposed to a rougher surface which reflects light at different angles (scatters it). In my materials science class, we made mirrors by sanding and polishing little pieces of metal. As the surface gets smoother, the reflection gets clearer. If you use some polishing wax and a polishing machine, you can get an extremely clear reflection, like a mirror you would buy.

AskReddit/d66t8k2

4wgkjx

What is one thing you wish someone in your life would stop doing?

I wish ny parents would stop trying to micromanage my life. I used to think I was just being a whiny teenager until I found out that good parents don't go through their kid's room and phone for random searches every week or so. I got in a fight with them the other day because I'm 18 now and heading off to college soon anyways, but they aren't willing to admit that they did anything wrong at all.

AskReddit/c2p6dl8

l1ym2

If you could send a 140 character message to the world 50 years in the past, what would you send?

You would need to teach them something they havent discovered yet, people. Also telling them something would more than likely make you, and most other people born in the past 50 years, a paradox in the past reality. I don't know what will happen, so do so at your own risk.

explainlikeimfive/cdvt7zt

1sbd9n

How food doesn't go to my lungs, and why air mostly doesn't go to my stomach?

You have a flap called the epiglottis that covers your windpipe without you having to consciously think about it any time you try to swallow food or liquid. When not in use, your esophagus flattens, but your trachea has cartilagenous rings that keep it open. When you breathe, negative pressure in your lungs sucks air in like a bellows. Swallowing air - aerophagia - can be done intentionally, or caused by multiple things including stress and hypersalivation.

explainlikeimfive/dhor1nz

6bqpsk

What is the red pill?

It gets a bad reputation because at its core it relies on the idea that women are essentially children and a resource as opposed to actual people, and puts men into a position where they feel victimized, in part as a reaction to their perception of feminism (which ironically, they think is setting up a system of false victimization). It's also extremely hostile to opposing viewpoints. There are differences between men and women, but people are people. They're complicated. While I can certainly see how red pill could have been an overall healthy step out of an abusive (presumably controlling) relationship, there's such a thing as going too far as well. I know I'm not going to convince you, I just hope you look at things critically.

AskReddit/effk5bd

aloj4w

If the theory of the infinite multiverse is true, is there an universe where it’s not?

No, that is nonsensical. The multiverse theory just suggests that there are an infinite amount of parallel spatial (as in 3 dimensions, X, Y, and Z) universes. There are an infinite number of parallel 2D planes (X and Y) that intersect our 3D known universe. Asking this question is like asking whether there are any 2D planes within the known universe where the known universe doesn't exist. A simpler way of thinking of it, if you had an infinite sheet of lined paper, this question is like asking whether there are any lines on the paper in which the paper doesn't exist.

explainlikeimfive/dihmhyn

6fe1w1

Why is "Death" often pictured carrying a scythe?

Death is often depicted with cutting objects because he cuts the thread of life. For example the Greek/Roman deities of fate were depicted as spinning the literal thread of life for each human and cutting it at the end. This was later mixed with the Chronos/Saturnus, the Titan of Time who carried a sickle (with which he castrated his father, by the way). This was later mixed to time cutting the life of persons with a sickle. In Christian times, this image was coupled with biblical images. The bible describes how death is sweeping over the lands, leaving dead bodies behind "ike sheaves after the reaper". However, really popular did the image only get after the Plague in Europe when people were literally dropping dead like wheat in the field. So in total a combination of ancient Greek/Roman and Biblical imagery, coupled with the horrifying experiences of omnipresent death during the Plague.

AskReddit/cb1o346

1i7at5

What fictional character do you have real respect for, and why?

A lot of characters really. Minerva Mcgonagall from Harry Potter. Strong woman and I would totally have loved to have her as my teacher. Molly Weasley from Harry Potter. I think a lot of people underestimate her character, but she reminds me a lot of my own mother and I think she is one of the bravest characters in the series. Giles from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. His vast knowledge is very respect worthy. He understands more than just books though. There are many morally shady areas he's forced to navigate and he'll stand up to authority or kill for the sake of others. Tyrion Lannister. Although his family is kind of terrible, he doesn't let that or his stature get in his way. Mal Reynolds from firefly. A decent criminal in an indecent world. What's not to respect about that? Daenerys targaryen. MOTHER OF DRAGONS! Probably more, but this is getting long enough as it is. edit: 7. Picard! How could I forget him.

AskReddit/e5m4xm4

9e4yge

What is the evolutionary purpose of body hair such as eyebrows, eyelashes, and facial hair?

We used to be furrier. Some hair, such as eyebrows or eyelashes, prevent rain or sweat from running into our eyes. That's for men and women. Beards. though, are just on men. The hair grows because of male hormones. So beards can serve secondary sexual functions. It can signal higher hormone levels and associated aggressiveness and ability to have kids. Some women will find this attractive and some men will find it intimidating.

AskReddit/c276s1d

iwi0e

Can my illegal immigrant GF fly from California to Charlotte, North Carolina with a Mexican Passport?

She'll need a government issued photo ID, so if she has a Mexican passport that qualifies. The only issue would be that she has overstayed the time allotment for a tourist visit. If they catch that she'll have problems. So if she has any type of US issued government photo ID then use that.

explainlikeimfive/dppg4tz

7cfbef

When cell phones first came out how did cell phone companies put up cell towers?

You have to keep in mind that when cell phones were introduced, we already had very widespread networks (in the West) of broadcasting towers for radio and television. Wireless communication was not a new idea. Cellular service providers placed antennas on existing towers, leased land for new ones where necessary, and gradually increased coverage where it was most profitable. You need a license from the government for a broadcasting installation like that, as well as permission from local government. From an early stage, people came up with the idea of providing service via satellite, without having to build all those towers--but the ambitious schemes for global coverage never really materialized. There are a few satellite constellations now which provide pricey service that's not high quality, but it's very helpful in areas with no towers at all.