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AskReddit/d1u020i
|
4dsunu
|
What is the most expensive thing you ever touched and how much did it cost?
|
Except for things like aeroplanes and buildings, I work as an apprentice mechanic and I once drove a Porche Carrera 911 Turbo S We don't get nice cars in our workshop often at all. This one was worth around $220,000AUD and had only done 10,000km. The mechanic didn't want to test drive it, so I, as the apprentice, drove a $220k car for 15 minutes down some roads. If I'd written it off, the insurance would have cost my boss the company. Madness.
| 2 |
AskReddit/edjayat
|
adq4ig
|
Which restaurant or food brand changed their recipe for your favorite food and made you hate them forever?
|
Chick Fil A - awhile ago they changed their BBQ sauce, but thankfully due to the response they reintroduced their original BBQ sauce after only a short time
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/cp2alrd
|
2xpwd4
|
Why don't homeless people in places with extremely high cost of living just move to places where housing is more affordable?
|
These people would be homeless no matter where they live, so they may as well live in a city that requires you to be wealthy to live there, since the people they ask for money will have more income. Not to mention the weather in Silicon Valley is pretty great year-round.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/cmw77f8
|
2pe8nj
|
How did chickens, a seemingly silly and defenseless animal, survive before becoming domesticated?
|
That's the whole point of domestication. You don't just grab wild animals and keep them in a pen. Domestication happens when humans have selectively bred the animals for enough generations that they differ significantly from the wild population. In the case of chickens they were selectively bred to be more muscular and to lay eggs more frequently. But when humans are protecting a captive population, and the animals don't have to worry about keeping themselves safe from predators, there's no evolutionary advantage to being smart. So the dumb ones reproduce successfully too, and the domestic population will gradually become dumber than the wild population.
| 4 |
AskReddit/dju476d
|
6libwv
|
What was the weirdest "extra credit" opportunity you ever had in school?
|
Bring in an RC Cola for extra credit. Double extra credit if you brought a Moon Pie as well. Surprisingly I was 1 of 2 people in the entire class to do it.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ce4fffe
|
1t55av
|
Are you afraid of death?
|
My own death, no, I'm not afraid of it. It'll happen sooner or later no matter, so there is no reason in being afraid of it. When it happens it happens. I'm quite sure I won't get that old, if I get another 15 years I'll be surprised (I'm 32). But, I am mortified that people I love will die. And I know they will, sooner or later.
| 4 |
explainlikeimfive/e55h96a
|
9bsegh
|
How do bugs transport oxygen to their brain if they don't have any blood?
|
They don’t have blood like us, but they still have a circulatory system that transports oxygen and energy around the body via fluid. It’s just technically incorrect to call that fluid ‘blood’. I’m not 100% sure, but I think the oxygen is dissolved in the fluid, as opposed to binding to cells like our circulatory system.
| 5 |
AskReddit/e9e2erw
|
9vp4he
|
Why were you sent to the principals office?
|
My brother and I in elementary school where sent to the principals office because we smelled (I didn't think it was that bad) and where dirty. He then made us take a shower at the middle school next building over. This happened quite a bit.
| 2 |
AskReddit/en3s8yy
|
bna8ib
|
How come people feel the need to cheat in relationships?
|
I’ve had the thought go through my head a few times with past relationships, for me the thought always stems from sex- not the lack of it just when it became consistently unsatisfying. But being cheated on is a terrible terrible feeling that I will never make someone else experience. it makes you question everything about the life you’ve shared. I’ve seen it break man and woman of body and spirit to the point they just coast through life constantly afraid of feeling love again, most people can come back from it but some just can’t handle questioning there own reality. As a side, I also have a few questions: cheaters. How? Do you somehow self justify it or just not care?
| 2 |
AskReddit/ea42b4a
|
9yu85g
|
What is a good video to watch with family during the Thanksgiving vacation?
|
Any of the National Lampoon's Vacation movies - Christmas Vacation is especially good. The new one with Ed Helms and Christina Applegate is also great fun. Depending on your family, We're the Millers has some racy parts but if your family isn't easily offended, it's hilarious. And, it's hilarious even if they are.
| 2 |
AskReddit/drvgibo
|
7mokio
|
Why is it acceptable to put our animals down when they are suffering, but it is unacceptable for humans to be "put down" when they are suffering?
|
We impose our preconceived notion that an animal's suffering reduces their quality of life below a threshold that we are no longer comfortable with. When it comes to other humans it's more complicated. There are cultural, religious, legal and psychological layers added that make that threshold harder to define.
| 7 |
AskReddit/dyhmudz
|
8h7lx8
|
Who are some interesting psychopath YouTubers?
|
Gemni868. He was a 40 year old man dressing like John Cena doing wrestling reviews and posted videos of himself breaking down / crying because people disliked Cena. Oh, oh, nevermind, you said interesting. My bad.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/cfx7v3d
|
1zuk5y
|
Did the idea of backwards time travel exist prior to the 1700s?
|
As you've pointed out, the idea of travelling forward in time was more common to begin with than the idea of travelling backward. There were quite a few old stories about people who moved into the future, but the first story which involved a person moving back in time was Mark Twain's 'A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court', published in 1889. As to why this type of time-travel wasn't written about before. that's an unanswerable question. Any attempt to answer it would be pure speculation.
| 3 |
AskReddit/c6jgnxg
|
115ax0
|
Would your younger self think your current self is a cool person?
|
My younger self would say "dude, how did you pull that off, you are supposed to be face down in a pool of vomit dieing right now?" I would reply, "Be nicer to your sister, she is gonna fix you one day."
| 72 |
AskReddit/eqbpacv
|
by1r3o
|
What is your favorite genre on YouTube non music related?
|
Long assed educational videos, literally anything with knowledge in it. I love it when a YouTube really takes the time to explain everything in detail, not just the short bite sized videos which cover the basics. My favorite is 3blue1brown
| 3 |
AskReddit/cbyo7au
|
1lfdpy
|
Should a conviction be quashed, even if there is no doubt about guilt, if the police abuse their power and behave unlawfully throughout the investigation / trial?
|
No, I believe that if the guilt of the crime is still very solid, then perhaps a different group should be brought in to verify evidence, while those that abused their power should be removed from the investigation and punished for unlawful behaviour and abuse of power. Just because the police need to be punished for their abuse of power, doesn't mean a potentially dangerous felon should automatically walk free.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e8cm1cp
|
9qy512
|
What is the one thing that someone told you that causes you to change for the better?
|
When my friend told me to stop making suicidal jokes because it makes uncomfortable everyone around me. Since that I rarely make jokes like that and honestly it's not a big change but it really started something to feel better about myself
| 2 |
askscience/ctu705p
|
3fx83c
|
Why is salted soil infertile and are there techniques or practices for removing or filtering salt from soil?
|
Plants rely on hydrostatic pressure to absorb water into their roots. When salt is added it changes the hydrostatic pressure so that, instead of flowing into the roots from the soil, water instead flows from the roots into the soil, which kills most plants. There are a few plants capable of dealing with high levels of salt. Asparagus is a notable example. In fact, many growers of asparagus add rock salt to the water when they irrigate to help reduce weeds.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d0d8pm5
|
47iwzg
|
How do you speak in public without feeling anxious?
|
Always remember that your audience are people too. Every single one of them is a human being, with its own intimate desires and anxieties. It is in this sense, and in this sense only, that you should not feel anxious to speak up. Build your confidence not on an empty laissez-faire attitude, as other replies suggest, but on an enthralling compassion.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eed5epk
|
ah8y68
|
What about life was much harder than you expected?
|
Trying to deal with being alone when it's no longer a choice. When friends and family pass away or move away and/or start families, its hard to realize and accept that your time with them is gone or severely limited. The older you get, the more difficult it is to find a significant other. You know you're getting old when the first thing you look for when seeing someone is whether they have a wedding ring on or not. Then when you see most people do, it just amplifies your feeling of solitude. Overall, just finding ways to deal with losing things in life is very difficult.
| 6 |
AskReddit/c572cim
|
vru8x
|
Is there a cure for procrastination / avoiding important things in life?
|
I did read what you wrote and I will explain how I got over my personnel procrastination problems. I met somebody who genuinely would try anything and do whatever all the time. With strangers or whoever.he would just kind jump on the bandwagon and get involved with all sorts of crazy stuff. He would tell me that being pro-active is a muscle and it requires exercise to condition correctly. I was blown away with this concept and started to realize that being pro-active is one of the most important lessons in living a non-procrastination filled life. TL;DR Be Pro-Active with everything from here on out and see what happens. Seriously just start doing stuff.
| 2 |
AskReddit/crtrex9
|
38b44y
|
What's the best dating advice you could give from your experience?
|
The purpose of the first date is to figure out if either of you are interested in a second date. Lather, rinse, and repeat until such time as you can both agree that you're "dating." Do not get too emotionally attached to anyone you are "dating."
| 2 |
AskReddit/dcsh3fb
|
5pnjsw
|
What's the weirdest dream you've ever had?
|
Not the weirdest, but the most recent: I dreamed I had a toy popper style gun. But instead of shooting poppers it shot spray that made the person you shot grow a mustache.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/djo0bx9
|
6kqhqi
|
Why do american front doors (On TV and movies) have a 2nd door attached to them that seems to close when one opens and vice versa?
|
are you talking about screen doors to keep bugs out when we have the door open for ventilation? or perhaps security doors meant to allow you to interact with people at the door without risking them shoving their way in?
| 13 |
AskReddit/e4pc233
|
99p7ow
|
What's the most ridiculous thing people get jealous or competitive over?
|
Other people's success, especially that of their friends and partners. Everyone has a different life path, and good and bad things will happen to all of us. If your friend or partner is doing well, be happy for them and support them, don't be bitter.
| 3 |
AskReddit/c4rm56w
|
u1pou
|
Has anyone had experiences with Depersonalization that could give advice to someone going through it right now?
|
OHMYGOSH. I've had a depersonalization disorder for the past year and a half (diagnosed by a counselor and a therapist in the last 6 months) brought on by a traumatic experience. All of your symptoms sound familiar. I'm still in the middle of it - but it's not all the time (although some of the effects are). I have episodes that can last anywhere from several hours to 10 minutes to hundreds of rapid-fire microsecond bursts in a row. During these episodes, I feel like "me" but not attached to my name, my body, or my normal identity. I know everything that "she" knows, I'm aware of everything and everyone around me, and I'm aware (once I realized what was happening) that it's an episode. I can answer questions but I also have to double check to make sure I'm not just bullshitting. Effects that last all the time are the "bullshitting" fears, the memory fuzziness (I don't remember a lot of past experiences that I remember remembering - if that makes any sense and I have to concentrate to remember specific instances, even from this morning), not identifying with my reflection, and a sense of hyper-awareness. Triggers for episodes for me are excessive introspection (I used to meditate a lot - can't do it anymore), looking at my reflection, stress, lack of sleep, and being upset. Also, sometimes episodes just happen randomly and I can't tell what brought them on. It used to be so much worse - almost half the day was spent in episodes, I used to get panic attacks from them at night, and I had no idea why it was happening. I saw a university counselor last semester and a licensed therapist for a few weeks after my free sessions ran out, and we tracked it back to my traumatic experience (which I can talk about if you want, but it's not super relevant). Now I don't panic anymore and the feelings are old-hat and familiar and not scary. It's sometimes annoying but it happens much less frequently and I think talking to professionals and friends and sharing my experiences helped a lot. Let me know if you have any more questions. There are some resources online I could dig up for you if you want. I strongly recommend talking to friends/a counselor - it really helped me. Feel free to PM me if you want to talk more privately as well!
| 2 |
AskReddit/dhje51p
|
6b33lh
|
How do I buy the moon and then proceed to cover it entirely in LED lights that emit company logos on the surface like Coca-Cola and sell the Moon as a billboard ad for 1billion dollars a day?
|
Step 1: Team up with a private space corporation Step 2: Claim the moon as it's own sovereign territory. This can not be associated with any earthly nation. Step 3: Prepare LEDs Step 4: Sell as lakefront property
| 6 |
AskReddit/d0y05v2
|
4a7e6u
|
What was your strangest childhood obsession?
|
I had a strange obsession with paper plates and napkins particularly as they took flight on a gust of whirling wind. The sight of a plastic bag twirling in the air was, for no apparent reason, exceptionally wonderful. I really enjoyed picnics because of it - a breeze would take the napkins eventually. For some reason I really liked that.
| 3 |
AskReddit/et6lcaf
|
ca83np
|
What is man’s worst invention?
|
For the people who say guns were the worst invention, that wouldn’t really change the violence. People would just use other weapons instead, besides guns can be great defense against dangerous animals. Guns don’t kill, people do.
| 6 |
explainlikeimfive/d9171bl
|
58klc1
|
Why does running long distance kill my appetite?
|
Digesting food takes energy. After a long run, the body is too tired to worry about processing food. That is why some people use energy gels or liquid/pureed food after high intensity exercise - it takes less work for your body to digest. At high elevation (summit night on Mt Everest) the body is so focused on survival that it can't digest food. If people did eat, the food would literally just rot in their stomach - no digestion, no moving the food through the intestines. Sherpa tea usually has melted butter or ghee - liquid calories which is easier to absorb. Try simple near-liquid carbs to prime your stomach - jello, smoothies, maybe yogurt.
| 22 |
explainlikeimfive/dno70rs
|
736yhr
|
How does our immune system differentiate between good and bad bacteria?
|
You'd need a PhD in immunology to get any rigorous answer. One overly broad way to answer "how does our immune system differentiate" is simply: it doesn't. If you raised a primary immune response to every bacterial cell you'd be in big trouble. Gut bacteria have evolved with us to either work to our benefit (mutualism) or to work without harming us (commensalism). There is usually very little benefit in killing a human for bacteria, but often a very high reward in behaving. Most pathogens evolve, over time, to be less pathogenic for that reason. A second possible answer is that our immune system doesn't need to differentiate because the good bacteria do it for us. The "good" bacteria not only evolved to be harmless/helpful to us, but they also evolved to be very efficient within us. Their efficiency is so high that they use up resources faster than invasive bacteria can. This competition depends upon the bacteria having evolved with humans for a long time, which often means it evolved low pathogenicity. A third answer is that the immune system modulates its response by area of the body. Pathogens in the gut trigger a weak immune response. Anything foreign in the blood, though, triggers a strong response. Immunologically this can work as simply as lowering the concentration of T or B cells. In a more complicated way, the cells that are present may be immature (this can be true even within the body, for example in the liver). The human cells in your body are outnumbered 10:1 by bacteria. You can't live without them, and they can't live without us.
| 5 |
explainlikeimfive/d6p4c86
|
4yniqo
|
When we dream, how does our brain fill in all the extra people you've never met before?
|
I once read somewhere that all the faces of people in your dreams are faces of actual people you have seen or come in contact with in some form in your life. So your subconscious generates faces in dreams from this "repository," if you will, of faces you could not possibly consciously remember but are nevertheless part of your subconscious mind. I have no idea if this is true or how its validity could possibly be determined, but it's a neat thought.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e3ir6sv
|
946ucu
|
What’s your favorite video game that cannot be played anymore due to software/hardware issues?
|
I used to play this game called Bunni Island on some random website when I was super young. It's basically a dumbed down Sim City but with bunnies. Last year I remembered how chill and relaxing it was and decided to look it up. It was still on a few websites but something in its programming made it not load. I shrugged it off . Then last week my little brother asked if there were any cool games to play. For some weird reason I looked up Bunni Island and lo and behold, some dude was able to get it working again. Didn't 100% stay true to OP's question but it reminded me of it.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cjfj7fh
|
2chgqc
|
Why is Ebola more dangerous than other diseases?
|
TL;DR It's not. Ebola is contracted in poor African villages when people have to resort to eating dead animals (fruit-bats mainly) they've found in the rain forest. It then spreads through contact with an infected person's bodily fluids (blood, sperm, etc). These people can't afford the necessary healthcare and it tends to just wipe out a lot of people quite quickly (up to 90% fatality rate in central Africa according to WHO). I think people fear it as the symptoms are quite violent, with extreme vomiting and diarrhea being the main case. The thing is, it's quite treatable in first world countries, and isn't really any more dangerous than a lot of diseases you could contract eating infected raw meat. The media has just blown it out of proportion like it always does with 'super' diseases.
| 27 |
AskReddit/dvef30b
|
831k7v
|
What did you think you were going to do as a kid and what are you actually doing now?
|
Kid: LA Lakers point guard & Hollywood actor on the side Now: web development Kid me would be really disappointed with what a dork I am
| 2 |
AskReddit/c8bf846
|
1840vg
|
What is your weirdest or funniest experience while taking public transportation?
|
Dave Chapelle's story about his experience with public transport is pretty good. On my phone, can't link atm. For me, the weirdest experience I've had - twice - is when a person came and sat right next to me when the bus was virtually empty.
| 3 |
AskHistorians/cv1xtu6
|
3kzq6a
|
Was there any point in the last 1000 years where a colonial power 1) colonized an area, 2) the colony rebelled and secured its independence, and 3) the colonial power returned and annexed the former colony back into its empire?
|
Depends how loosely you want to define "colonize," "annex," and "empire." Here are the ones that come to mind: Russia: Lost (with German help) Poland, Finland, the Baltic States and Ukraine during 1917-20, re-annexed the Baltic States, and part of Poland and Finland(as the USSR) over 1938-45. (While we're at it, there's also the Crimea, but that passes the 20 year rule) Germany: Lost a bunch of territory to Poland in 1919, took it back in 1939. Britain: has so far invaded Iraq three times. The first invasion(in 1920) went about as well as the others. China: Lost control of Tibet, Xinjiang and Inner Mongolia in 1911; reacquired them between 1947-59.
| 4 |
AskReddit/c05j70s
|
72tmk
|
If I have debt with a bank that went under, where does my debt go?
|
The debt is an asset. Your lender goes bankrupt. That doesn't just mean they close the doors - it means that they go to court and get bankruptcy protection (from their creditors). The bankruptcy judge will ultimately decide how the assets and debts of your lender are handled. So, your loan - an asset to the lender - is now going to be sold to someone - possibly on the open market, or else assigned to a creditor of your bank (which could be the government.) Someone will decide what they are willing to pay for your loan, then they will buy it. Then, you'll owe the money to them based on the terms of your loan. To you this means that you might have to send your check for your mortgage to a different company every month. That's about it.
| 75 |
AskReddit/dolyog1
|
77hv00
|
What's the best "comfy" show?
|
Rick and Morty has become my latest comfy show but in the past it was Scrubs, The Simpsons, King of Queens and as a kid the grim adventures of billy and Mandy and ed, Edd n eddy.
| 8 |
AskReddit/dkwxa39
|
6qfp5z
|
What did you do as a child that you still feel guilty about?
|
I don't know if 17 y/o counts as a "child", but I told my parents I would kill myself before I moved back in with them. I love my parents, and I went home every summer in college, but I didn't think I could live with not being independent post-college. In hindsight, it was a melodramatic and entirely unnecessary thing to say and even though I didn't mean to hurt anyone's feelings, I know it upset my parents and I still feel bad about it.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ei8rkv2
|
azm3he
|
What was your favorite book as a child?
|
Lord of the Flies. ​ I'm not trying to be all r/iamverysmart, but my older sister read this to me as a young child and I adored it. It was actually a good idea, she explained all the symbolism and the plot. Just a book about kids murdering each other might not have been the best idea.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dwvi2ew
|
8a2xuj
|
How is lobbying different from bribery?
|
Lobbying is just the act of telling the government your perspective on an issue. Technically when you, as a citizen, write your congressman, you are lobbying. Lobbying isn't the same as campaign contributions. I think it's perfectly appropriate for a business or corporation or industry to have a chance to describe to the government what they predict an impact of a major change to their regulatory environment would have. It can, and often does, lead to regulations that achieve the same desired benefit but with less lost productivity or produced capital. The problem only arises when the government puts too much weight on the explanation of the industry or corporation or company in question and allows the industry or corporation or company to reduce the effectiveness of the legislation to the point where it no longer achieves the desired benefit, in order to preserve the profit.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c5wt77l
|
ym2h3
|
What is the weirdest thing you have ever heard from a sleeping person?
|
I've told this story before, because it's ridiculous and I will tell it any chance I get. I roomed with the same two girls for my second and third year of college. The first year, the three of us all shared one room (a triple, if you will). One night I woke up to them talking to each other. In their sleep. It was complete babbling, but it was definitely a dialogue. Needless to say, I was freaked out. I didn't tell them about it because I was sure I had hallucinated it. I promptly forgot about it. The next year, I shared a room with one of the girls, and the third girl had the smaller room across the hall to herself. I woke myself up one night, mid-conversation with the girl in my room. She was babbling on and on, and I said something affirmative to appease her. Next thing I know, the girl in the other room starts babbling angrily through the walls. The two continue to have a sleep conversation about nothing while I listen, freaked out forever. Made me think of how often the three of us talked to each other while we were sleeping. TL;DR: Sleep conversations through time and space.
| 7 |
AskReddit/ds5wwy6
|
769prl
|
What's your strangest case of deja vu?
|
The Vision: 2006. im at a friend's apartment and my friends boyfriend comes in the door and starts talking about this kid that had been hiding in the parking garage and that he was acting crazy and the cops came and then it gets vague The Deja Vu: 2017 .the exact same scenario. and what made it even stranger was how long it lasted.the sense of deja vu lasted about a minute into his story.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/ehg4sjb
|
avlz80
|
How is it possible to plug a single device or multiple devices into the same electric power outlet (for example using a surge protector) without a noticeable difference in power output?
|
It's only possible up to a point. I'm in the US so I'm going use 110v as an example. The voltage will be available to all the outlets on the circuit, but as you plug in more devices, the amount of current (in amperes) required increases. Eventually, you will overload the circuit and trip the breaker, or blow the fuse.
| 6 |
AskReddit/d421erz
|
4n9qnq
|
What's the most ridiculous lie you told as a kid?
|
I remember I went to Vegas with a group of similar aged cousins. I was 8-9. I told them I took tap dancing classes and proceeded to tap dance in the lobby. They were really impressed and asked me to bust my moves throughout the trip.
| 2 |
askscience/cu95pme
|
3hndm5
|
Can matter hold charge in a vacuum?
|
Cathode ray tubes in old televisions and vacuum tubes or valves in old amplifiers (and some industrial radio equipment and analog computers like the one that broke Enigma) have current flow through a vacuum using the Thermionic (or Edison) Effect. By heating a wire, electrons can "boil" off the wire, and flow freely. They do not need a conductor to ionize. I guess a simpler way to say this is by giving the electron enough energy through heat, and then giving it someplace to go by applying a charge, the electron doesn't need to be "shared" through a conductor to travel, it can move by itself. In a vacuum tube diode, you have a plate (anode) that you apply a large voltage to and a cathode heated by a filament. You send a signal through the cathode, and when the signal goes negative the electrons can boil off and flow to the anode attracted by its positive charge. Because electrons only travel one way, you have a diode. That's a useful device because the tube diode was crucial in the conversion of AC to DC (you use two or four diodes and some capacitors in an AC/DC converter), as well as a circuit called a "ring modulator" because it looks like a ring of diodes in the circuit diagram for amplitude modulation, which was used for early radio communication. The story of how Edison discovered the Thermionic effect is pretty cool too, and it's a big deal because he accidentally invented active electronics and signal processing. edit: to also better address your question, atmosphere doesn't "hold charge in" in a material. The lack of a conductive channel, either of free electrons to a positively charged material or of the free electrons to a neutral or positively charged place prevents current from flowing. Like I mentioned, through the thermionic effect, current can absolutely flow through a vacuum.
| 3 |
AskReddit/cy26pyy
|
3x7gpg
|
What's something you would REALLY like to complain about, but can't in real life?
|
I live at my mom's house, just pay room and board because I'm going through mental illness stuff right now and can't afford my own place. She says that she feels used, I never help her out, I have more time than her because I work less so I should do more. It's driving me insane. I try to do what I can around the house, but admittedly I am a bit more forgetful/scatterbrained (possibly due to meds). I do work less, but I just got out of the hospital and am trying to ease back into it so I don't relapse. But she's technically right and I have no where else to go, so I can't complain.
| 2 |
askscience/dwl85p8
|
88jp99
|
Can Dark Matter have Complex/Imaginary Mass?
|
In quantum field theory 'tachyonic' is indeed used to describe a field with a negative mass-squared, therefore an imaginary mass. However such a field does not actually correspond to imaginary-mass particles. Instead a tachyonic field is unstable, and will adjust its value until it finds a new stable configuration that (necessarily) has a positive mass-squared. This is exactly what happens to the Higgs field: if you naively write it down, it looks tachyonic, but what actually happens is it acquires a non-zero 'vacuum expectation value' everywhere in space, which corresponds to a new stable, non-tachyonic field value. Around that new value, the mass-squared is positive, and the corresponding particles are Higgs bosons, which have positive mass. Einstein's equations are real-number equations, so it's not clear what an imaginary mass would cause. (It would create an imaginary part of the gravitational field-what would that mean? No idea.) However we know that dark matter acts (gravitationally) exactly like normal matter. In particular, by studying the expansion of the universe and its various gravitational effects we know that dark matter has a positive mass density and very low kinetic energy (i.e. it is moving much slower than the speed of light). So there is no reason to expect that it is anything exotic, besides an undiscovered type of matter that doesn't interact electromagnetically.
| 12 |
AskReddit/ccxzbrg
|
1p282e
|
What was it like to lose someone to suicide?
|
I lost an aunt to suicide, she was one of the coolest people i have ever met. I don't really talk about this often. It is crushing for those left behind, you never really recover from it. so many questions about what i could have done to help. My aunt suffered from years with depression, we spoke about it often, she wasn't that much older than me so it was kinda like a brother/older sister relationship. I woke up to my parents telling me that she was missing, I knew right away that she was not going to be found alive, I had to spend the day with my dad ( my aunt was his little sister) trying to be supportive as i could and reassuring, all the while knowing that we were just waiting to hear that they have found her body. I sometimes feel bad for thinking the worst, but i just knew that was the case. I cant really explain it. The worst part was getting the call, I had never seen my dad cry before then or since. It was devastating. I was very upset that i had lost my aunt but honestly I did not blame her for it. She felt the need to take her life, that's her choice I guess. i'm finding this next part hard to explain without sounding selfish.in a way her suicide saved my life, I had been suicidal also. seeing the devastation it causes first hand helped me realise it was not the answer. I realise that some of the things i have said may seem conflicting, but there are no absolutes, its hard to process. this happened 13 years ago, i was 17 and she took her life at 33. I think about her almost every day. My family has never recovered.
| 3 |
AskReddit/db729pj
|
5icdvy
|
What is that accent or dialect in your native language that nobody, except for the speakers of that accent, understand?
|
This question is going to hit too many native English speakers, especially Americans, so I'm going to speak to my L2 경상도 사투리 aka Busan Dialect. They're the ones famous for having the grammatically comprehensible sentence "Ga ga ga ga ga ga?" and other such potato-chewing nonsense.
| 5 |
askscience/cg07fve
|
205co8
|
Is it true that no other animal can run as fast and long as human beings?
|
No it is not true I'm afraid. There are many more animals that have evolved for endurance, such as wolves or the husky. Prize huskies can often average over 30km/h for 50km a day for several days, as just one example.
| 6 |
AskReddit/enbzu63
|
bo48t7
|
What's the best name for a pet you've ever heard?
|
I worked with pets for the majority of my twenties. While I've encountered some really imaginative, hilarious, and adorable names, the only one that comes to mind that stuck with me and ever made me laugh was Kevin the black lab. He wore doggles, and smelled horrible. It was perfect.
| 63 |
AskReddit/ehey7vb
|
avejkq
|
What is the best sentence you can think of that has probably never been said/constructed before in the history of the English language?
|
Sentences this great are seldom written, typed, constructed or voiced without someone being absolutely bored to death, lying in bed, all the while dreaming of the number of upvotes it would garner, for no monetary gain whatsoever, deeming it ridiculously useless to you or anyone around you.
| 2 |
AskReddit/dkx6x0p
|
6qgv44
|
What annoys you most on social media?
|
Years ago I liked a girl I was friends with and she had gotten out of a relationship with her reportedly abusive ex. We had been talking for a couple months and I asked if she wanted to come over and hang out when she told me she was back with her ex. When I informed her that I didn't know she was with him again her response was "Didn't you see it on Facebook?" Uh no, I didn't. I am old school so I kind of expect people to verbally tell me things instead of relying on me to check their social media feeds for major updates. In her defense she has matured a lot since then but we were not in high school at the time and she was in her mid twenties when this happened.
| 3 |
AskReddit/d4vbjhl
|
4qrkwf
|
What are some of the ironies that you have seen at places you have worked?
|
I worked for an air conditioner factory that had no air conditioner. Someone called OSHA and reported management because the tempature would rise above 130F and they'ld still force people to work until they passed out from heat exhaustion.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cfywcwn
|
201dig
|
What is something everyone else finds a use for, but you simply cannot?
|
A smartphone. I have a cell phone. I have a computer. But, I don't have a smartphone. I simply don't have a use for one, at least not one that my friends use it for nor one that those guys who in the kiosks at the mall try to sell. If I'm at home, I have my computer, which is better for browsing the internet and playing games. If I'm away, I'm unlikely to be in a situation where I need some distraction or some utility found on a smart phone. I'm driving and unable to use a phone. I'm eating with friends and don't want to use a phone at the expense of conversing with people there. I'm at a movie, when I can't use a phone. I'm at a party and would rather socialize than stare at a lit screen while people around me are enjoying themselves.
| 7 |
AskReddit/ei6s7kt
|
azc3au
|
What is the best way to prepare and embellish instant noodles?
|
You can't go wrong with an egg and some green onions if you want something quick, I also add in some chili and garlic powder. If I'm feeling really into it I'll make some miso soup (real easy to make just powder and water) and plop the noodles in there with a few veggies.
| 3 |
AskReddit/eji73k5
|
b66jdr
|
What tips/methods do you use to help yourself fall asleep faster?
|
This is not to everyone's taste, but I'm a fan of listening to ASMR videos. I usually have my phone screen faced down to avoid bright light and such, but just the sounds really relax me and help me fall asleep much faster.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/ddgmxst
|
5so4bf
|
Why are some cuisines significantly spicier than others?
|
Spices in food have a lot of uses. They cover the taste of mild spoilage, some of them can slow down the spoilage process itself, and then of course, they taste good. One theory as to why hotter climates often have spicier cuisines (when spices were traditionally available) is that eating spicy foods induces sweating, ultimately cooling you down in the days before air conditioning.
| 3 |
AskReddit/ccin7wz
|
1nh6pj
|
How do I help my 18 year old son become motivated and resilient?
|
Honestly I would give him a little space. As a 20 year old college students, I've always been self motivated and I've never really needed my parents to push me. He's obviously a bright kid since he was valedictorian and I'm guessing he just needs to figure things out for himself.
| 2 |
AskReddit/euv6zmn
|
chmrqa
|
Why did you end a friendship?
|
realized she only used me to feed her attention reserves. every day i found myself in a situation listening to her fish for compliments, saying how ugly she was constantly so i would tell her how pretty she was- only for her to have had posted several selfies on her story the day before. ended the friendship because it became tiring having to constantly cater to her - if i wasn’t talking about her she didn’t listen. it drained me to constantly make my life more and more about her and less about me.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c5cmzvu
|
wekdg
|
Why do people stay in relationships if they don't really love the person?
|
Two reasons, usually. They don't want to be alone. They don't think they can find better, and decide to settle for whoever they have. The first point is probably the biggest. Finding a significant other can be rather challenging for some people. For them, anyone who's even remotely interested for a little bit is better than nothing. So when the honeymoon phase ends and they realize they don't love the person, they don't want to go through the effort of finding a new, probably better person. Thus they sit in their comfort zone, slowly losing interest until the relationship dies or they get into a loveless marriage.
| 4 |
AskReddit/doy5np4
|
790c85
|
What hasn't been true for years now, but people still insist that it is?
|
Capitalism in America. Sorry, but the crash of 1929, the subsequent depression, the passing of the new deal, and basically every social program enacted in the last 70+ years has ensured we haven't lived in a fully capitalist society for some time. Also, Oligarchy by the ISP and cable companies, small business competition being squashed through lawsuits and big business, too big to fail companies.There are lots of examples.
| 7 |
askscience/c22q7hx
|
ico3z
|
Why can we not remember something, but then later remember it without looking it up?
|
The short answer is that the human mind has not evolved to be excellent at trivia. There are people who never forget anything, who remember every day they've lived and every meal they've eaten. There have been books and TV shows about this stuff and I'm on my phone, so I'm not citing anything. The most accepted theory is that these people are actually missing a protein that causes most people to forget trivial events and knowledge. Humans are incredible at remembering things given context though. One researcher found people who were shown 10,000 pictures in one day could recall with great accuracy the next day whether or not they had seen a given picture, but obviously they hadn't a prayer at sitting down and describing each picture they were shown.
| 2 |
AskReddit/do2qjds
|
751mzv
|
What do you collect?
|
I like boxes. Keepsake boxes, small jewelry boxes. I also have a growing blanket collection. Oh man do I love me some blankets. And I collect nutcrackers. Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker is my favorite ballet.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/cgbp097
|
21c97k
|
What was the strategic advantage of star-shaped forts?
|
This is from a paper I wrote as an undergraduate on the defence of Cyprus against the Ottoman Turks. Around 1550 a split occurred in the architecture community. With the advancement of military and civil architecture no longer could one person master it all let alone be able to direct an entire project. Groups were now hired to design and construct a city’s defenses while another group would be hired to construct everything else. Most of the military architects were former soldiers who had firsthand experience on what worked and what didn’t. They went for pure function and left out aesthetics. On the other hand civil architects studied a wide and varied background to combine elements in their designs (Croix 1960: 273-274). The basic plan was further improved upon by having straight walls between all the towers instead of circular which was preferred for walled cities as it allowed more area within to build. This prevented any dead space from occurring from the curve of the wall between the towers (Croix 1960: 281). A further improvement was the radial plan within the city walls. It was theorized for awhile on how it would be done and what style. Some had straight roads from the gates to the center while others had a spiral form. The idea behind a radial plan was that a commander on a tower in the center of town could see what was going on at each of the gates during the battle and direct troops and resources where they were needed (Croix 1960: 284). The first use of the radial plan was used at Meuse in 1544. The fortress was square with triangle bastions protruding outward to protect the walls (Croix 1960: 276). Bastions and ravelins, which were mentioned earlier, were another key feature that revolutionized anti-artillery architecture. These bastions were projections from the wall that were thick and stout to withstand cannon fire. Ravelins were similar to bastions, but instead of being projections of the wall they were their own structures sometimes connected by a short wall. With both the bastions and the ravelins the section that was perpendicular to the wall contained cannon aimed up and down the length of the wall (Croix 1960: 267). This provided protection to the wall in case a breach formed. When the enemy tried to rush the gap the cannon would let loose and obliterate the charge (Croix 1960: 266). In time it came to a point where the bastions and ravelins became virtually indestructible. The shape of the bastion and ravelins evolved over time from a triangular shape to more of a heart shaped. The leading point of the triangle was more often than not damaged and blown off. By adding some curve to the shape it helped to blunt the point and prevent much damage. The placement of the bastion and ravelins was another problematic issue amongst military architects at the time. The distance between the bastions had to be able to cover the wall and not damage the other side. One group of architects wanted the bastion walls to be thick enough so that when they did fired along the curtain and hit the other side it was strong enough to take the impact. The more popular group preferred angled walls to the bastion that allowed the defenders to fire alongside the curtain at an angle to protect the front of the other bastion and the ditch (Croix 1960: 280). De la Croix, Horst. 1960. Military Architecture and the Radial Plan in Sixteenth Century Italy. New York, New York.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cfzk442
|
203w2x
|
When was the time you met a stranger and had a really meaningful conversation with them?
|
Not so much a conversation, but the event was meaningful to me. I used to take my guitar to the beach and strum away whenever I was feeling a little bit blue. One of those days, there was already someone there with their own guitar, and their own voice. They were singing quite loudly to the ocean and moon, and when they noticed me with my own instrument asked if I’d like to join. She wore somewhat tattered clothes, but stylishly so. Messy hair, almost dreadlocks but not quite. When she requested to play her own song, I eagerly agreed to be her audience. Only after she finished and I was digesting the lyrics (about an abusive relationship, I thought), she grinned and exclaimed quite boldly “it’s about my period”. We strummed and talked, and even attracted a small audience of passers-by. It was a good night. I bumped into her at the local art gallery, and then again when I was practicing on my unicycle, but never again after that. Strangers can be strange like that.
| 2 |
AskReddit/e8hv2kl
|
9rlzek
|
What was the scariest episode of courage the cowardly dog in your opinion ?
|
I forget the name, but the one where Courage is opening a bunch of doors in an apartment complex and it has the scary claymation violin girl. That's the moment that scared me the most as a kid. The episode "perfect" scared me too with his strange nightmares
| 7 |
AskReddit/cte3evj
|
3ee7yb
|
Have you ever laughed at someone or something you shouldn't be laughing at?
|
I have a friend good for these moments. When my film studies class was watching The Conversation, there is a moment when Gene Hackman's character has a dream and talks about his near-death experience as a child, namely about how he was left on his side in the bathtub by his mother while the water filled the basin. His character is disturbed by the experience of death, and he wanted to prevent deaths resulting from his work of professional listening/taping of conversations. In a somewhat dramatic fashion, wracked with guilt and uncertainty, he said "You are probably disappointed that I am alive. I can't say I am not a little disappointed too." At this instant, my friend began laughing, though that was not the worst of it-began pounding on the small desk attached to the side of the chair. Now imagine it being a large lecture hall, everyone staring in mortification as this junior begins absolutely cracking up at the thought of Harry Caul essentially saying "And when I woke up, I was disappointed to be alive." The worst part is, that is not even the first time this has happened.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d53meyj
|
4rrypu
|
Do you think two people should have kids if depression runs in both of their families?
|
Yes - I would say that if both parents are willing to see a therapist, both together and separately before the baby comes and after the baby is born for a couple years, this doesn't have to be a hurdle! I also think that the fact that both parents understand they have depression is key to being able to help other people, and their child, if they too had depression. They can equip them.
| 2 |
AskReddit/c0dugmc
|
9pocp
|
Is The Goonies really one of the most beloved movies of all time, or do I only think this because I live in Oregon?
|
It's a really popular movie from anyone who was a kid or was born in the 80's from what I can tell. I've lived in Texas, Kansas, and New Jersey as well as visiting a majority of the Eastern and Western United States and I hear quotes from the Goonies all the time. .I've still yet to see it but I know what a Truffle Shuffle is. So it's not just Oregon.
| 6 |
explainlikeimfive/ctj0c6h
|
3ewifd
|
Why do most video players have a notification when switching to full screen mode to allow or exit full screen mode at the top?
|
It's to stop sneaky hacking that creates a full screen version of your desktop so that they can fiddle around with it and steal information without you knowing. It's not the video player, by the way, it's the browser (chrome for example).
| 8 |
AskReddit/ccz2dh7
|
1p5x1l
|
If you could have something of your infinitely charged at all times, what would you choose?
|
I would want an infinitely charged laptop. I would get a laptop with a tiny battery so it would weigh less and be thinner in size. This would probably also minimize heat. And, I mean, c'mon. Reddit all day. Also^I^program^a^lot.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ccnjapx
|
1nzrkw
|
What is your proudest moment in sports?
|
Im an asthmatic with a liver disease and was told running ditances would be difficult. My first marathon was probably my proudest moment.that or this past weekend when I ran by my G/Fs side for her first half marathon
| 2 |
AskReddit/e1ae4x2
|
8tu9fy
|
What tv show do you miss and why?
|
Ghost Whisperer. It had s lot of good messages and a lot of tear jerking scenes. I love stuff like that. Jennifer and David made for a good pairing too. Really miss that show.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/ed43wet
|
abzb84
|
What would happen if you mixed an upper with a downer?
|
Weed is a bad example as it's a pretty non-extreme downer. ​ When you mix heavier downers with uppers, it can be really bad, and can trigger all types of things like heart attacks and aneurysms. ​ The most common example would probably be cocaine and alcohol or cocaine and heroin, heroin to "cancel out" the cocaine so you can do more cocaine, and vice versa which leads to many accidental ODs as none of the cocaine or heroin leaves your system.
| 10 |
AskReddit/egoojmj
|
aromww
|
Why get married knowing that your spouse can easily just cheat on you and take all your money and property?
|
Why drive a car knowing I might get into a wreck? Why make friends knowing the relationship may dissolve some day? Why exercise and eat healthy knowing I’m going to die one day anyway? To quote The Office, “There are always a million reasons not to do something.”
| 3 |
AskReddit/d9020xc
|
58fp04
|
How to really mess with someone's computer in 10 minutes?
|
I opened up the internals on a traitors MacBook, used an xacto blade to make a very tiny cut on one of the pins on his ram, severing it. Took maybe 5 minutes. Just beeped when he tried to turn it on.
| 2 |
askscience/cfythyn
|
200wm8
|
Why don't we have rings like Saturn?
|
Saturn is big. Very big. The debris around the Earth after the impact was beyond what's called the Roche limit, the point at which the force of a planet's gravity is stronger than the gravitational pull holding an object together (this varies based on an object's density, so an object that is fully formed can migrate closer than where it could've formed). Because the ring of debris was beyond this point, our moon was able to form. Saturn's Roche limit extends beyond the edge of the rings. Usually, an orbit within this limit will degrade and end up with the object colliding with the planet, but Saturn has small moons within the ring system. These moons are small enough to survive Saturn's tidal forces, and formed before they became so close to Saturn. These moons 'herd' the rings, keeping them from falling inward or spiralling outward. The other gas giants all have small ring systems, as they are large enough to prevent the formation of a large body. These are smaller than the rings of Saturn because they lack these small moons within the ring system that would allow them to grow very large. Terrestrial planets can have rings as well, they just are usually temporary and too thin to be considered a proper ring system. In about 50 million years, Mars' larger moon, Phobos will have migrated close enough that it will break up and form a ring system, which will collide with Mars shortly after. In fact, due to humans, Earth is slowly building up a ring system in the form of satellites, which are concentrated in equatorial orbits as those are easier to achieve than polar orbits, with two rings, one in low orbit of a few hundred kilometers, and a second, thinner ring in a geostationary orbit. These are both far thinner than the rings of any of the gas giants, and likely will never reach that density.
| 11 |
AskReddit/cuvcspv
|
3k7cqh
|
What is the most beautiful thing you've ever heard somebody say?
|
I remember an old episode of Rescue 911 in which a kid had (I think) lost an arm, and as was often the case on the show, things seemed dire until the last second when he made his recovery. At the end, the kid was speaking, and here it is, 22 or 23 years later but I can still hear it in my head. He said, "It's a great life." I know it sounds underwhelming, but in that moment, something just clicked in me.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eyk0xrc
|
cxb1gp
|
What is the optimum amount of time to microwave a sandwich?
|
This depends highly on the grade of microwave available and the user's taste for optimal sandwiches. Industrial grade? 10-12 seconds, 2 seconds can alter the fate of a sandwich in these babies. Consumer grade? Eh about 30 seconds, don't sweat it if you forget to take it out for 30-60 seconds.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d9z9rl7
|
5ctkw8
|
How often do you shower?
|
Every two/three days. Between, I do a pits bath. Used to shower every day, but life got so crazy that I can't. Fortunately, as you near old age it takes longer to get greasy. And your feet don't sweat or stink as much. Believe me, those are about the only two physical positives. I'm hoping to go back on the old schedule in a few months.
| 2 |
AskReddit/cvcgdxi
|
3m6r5z
|
What makes you irrationally angry?
|
People who can't own up to their mistakes or get all pissy and defensive whenever they do something wrong annoy me to no end. It's fine to mess up but being incapable of recognizing it makes personal growth kind of impossible. Plus, these types tend to be a weird mix of self-righteous and needy.
| 16 |
explainlikeimfive/ddstkt2
|
5ublpl
|
How do companies such as Netflix make money, even though it's cheaper than cable and they don't have commercials?
|
1) When you pay a cable company you are not really paying for shows. You are paying for the physical connection of cables to your house. The Cable TV networks get very little money from your payments. Their money comes from commercials. The only networks that get significant money from your bill are the premium channels like Showtime of HBO that you pay for individually. 2) It is much cheaper to pay for rebroadcast rights of a show that has already aired its season than it is to pay for a show that is on air now.
| 2 |
AskHistorians/c696km9
|
zzqay
|
How is Gavrilo Princip viewed by public in todays Bosnia?
|
Princip fought for an independent Bosnia, but also for a Greater Serbia. He was a Serb first, and Bosnians know this. He was a Yugoslav Nationalist, and he believed all the South Slavs should unite under one country. So of course during the Tito era he was well loved. Up until the civil war in the 90s, Princip was held in high regard in most of Yugoslavia. He was a hero, a true Yugoslav. But as nationalism grew, non-Serbs began to hate him. Many non-Serbs saw him as a Serbian terrorist, and his reputation turned negative during the 90s in most of Yugoslavia. He was a believer in Yugoslavia, and Yugoslavia had just failed catastrophically. An independent Bosnia was now the way to go. As for today? Honestly, it differs. Bosnian Serbs mostly like him. Sure, Yugoslavia failed, but he was still a Serb who fought against the Austrians. Those nostalgic for Tito and Yugoslavia probably love him, he was a big hero during those times. However, Bosnian Muslims and Bosnian Croats probably don't like him too much. I wouldn't say hated, it's not like they dislike him for killing the Archduke. But they don't like Serbia, and they don't like Yugoslavia, and he best embodies both of these nations.
| 14 |
AskReddit/cvuihmf
|
3o6nk5
|
Who in your personal circle of friends and family is absolutely amazing and why?
|
My sister.she is an amazing person. She is my best friend and is one of the most important people in my life. She is a wonderful nurse and mom to three cats. She has unconditional love for all animals and people. She truly is a good person. She never forgets birthdays or thank you cards and would help anyone in need. I look up to her in so many ways!
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/cblzq33
|
1k6yg2
|
How is it possible for an atmosphere to form?
|
Gravity. Any collection of gas has a property called pressure, which we'll assume for sake of argument is uniform throughout the gas. (This is effectively true of gasses in thermal equilibrium, so it's a safe assumption.) This pressure tends to cause the collection of gas to expand into the environment. If that environment is a vacuum, then there's no resistance to this expansion, and the gas tends to become more diffuse. But any sufficiently large collection of gas will also gravitate in a significant way. The pressure of the gas will tend to cause it to expand, while the gravitation of the gas will tend to cause it to contract. When those two tendencies are in balance, we find a state called hydrostatic equilibrium, which is stable over the long term. That's how planets can have atmospheres. It's also, incidentally, why stars form. Same principle just on a different scale.
| 5 |
AskReddit/e206yji
|
8x1tb4
|
What is your favorite YO MAMA joke?
|
Yo mama's so fat, there's a good chance she will develop health issues like diabetes if she does not get her weight under control. Also, at first glance I read it as YO YO MA jokes and wondered to myself how many there could possibly be and why there would be any at all.
| 2 |
AskReddit/ddqsuxa
|
5u2c5k
|
If you could shuffle the actors in one TV show or movie while maintaining the characters and storyline, how would you switch them around?
|
I've always wondered what it would be like in Breaking Bad if Jesse Pinkman and Walter White had their actors reversed. Bryan Cranston as some creepy tweeked out drug dealer with bad teeth and such. Aaron Paul as the young, happy teacher struck with cancer in his prime. it'd have been such a weird show but still good.
| 2 |
explainlikeimfive/elxgk9h
|
bi1u2z
|
What does it mean to sequence a gene?
|
Genes are made up of only 4 different chemicals which can be placed in any order, so knowing what chemicals are present really doesn't matter, the key is knowing what order or sequence the chemicals are in. If you have sequenced the gene you know what the order of the chemicals is and can in theory replicate it.
| 2 |
AskReddit/d4ogaiz
|
4pwktf
|
What higher quality product have you bought that was completely worth the extra money?
|
Power tools - when I got my first place I had to buy cheap, but the tools I bought weren't really up to the jobs and they also degenerated rapidly. Cost me more than expensive tools in terms of replacing them and fixing things in the long run. It doesn't cost that much more for decent power tools for DIY use and they are really worth the investment if you plan to do multiple jobs over many years.
| 5 |
AskHistorians/d0afeld
|
46xk41
|
How long would you say was the Norman period in Southern Italy and Sicily?
|
Although there were Normans fighting for the Lombard Dukes of Benevento and Salerno for about a century prior to this date, I would put the start date at Robert Guiscard's conquest of Sicily in 1061. Following Tancred's usurpation, Henry VI pressed his wife's claim (Constance of Hauteville) after Tancred's death at 55, when his nine-year-old son William III was left on the throne. When Henry VI was crowned King of Sicily on Christmas day in 1193 after having taken Palermo earlier that month, I think the period of Normans ruling Sicily can be said to have come to an end, although their influence would be felt for long after.
| 3 |
explainlikeimfive/cvf7zg9
|
3mijgw
|
Why do we blink with both eyes at same time?
|
The very short time makes it completely inconsequential unless your eyes have had grit blow into them or something else irritate them. And blinking one eye and then the other cuts out your binocular vision for both eyeblinks plus cuts a percentage of your edge field of view for that length of time, so it could very well be a disadvantage when you add it up. Even if there was some measurable advantage to blinking one eye at a time, it didn't matter enough to make our previous generations die before they raised their kids, which is the true measure of species success.
| 9 |
AskReddit/dqciuf5
|
7fjhul
|
What movie blew your expectations out of the water?
|
Blade Runner 2049. I went in with high expectations, and came out of the theatre completely speechless. I think it might just be my favorite movie of all time. If there's a movie that's worth buying a surround sound system for, it's that one. The soundtrack is superb.
| 21 |
AskReddit/c2zjcox
|
mb7j3
|
Is it possible for the internet to break on a large scale?
|
Only through a distributed attack that simultaneously damaged a very very large number of servers, ISPs, and individual computers all at once. "The Internet" is not one big thing, really, it's a network of computers. Think of it like a club of thousands of people who all have each other's phone numbers and call each other a lot, but never all meet in one place. Sure, you could kill some of them or cut some phone lines, but the club as a whole would continue to exist and operate.
| 2 |
AskReddit/eg8f2b6
|
aphdxj
|
What’s some insider knowledge that only people in your line of work have?
|
Probably goes without saying, but the price you pay for an item on the shelf is much, much higher than what it costs to make. That's probably common knowledge or at least common sense, but in my line of work (import logistics/supply chain) I get to see that first hand and the difference would probably shock some people. You have to figure, the manufacturer is going to charge the buyer/wholesaler enough to cover their costs and make a profit. There's your first markup. Then the wholesaler marks it up to sell to the retailer so they, too, make a profit. Then the retailer marks it up to sell to the end user. By the time you're at the store buying the product, you're paying $35 for something that we imported from China for $7 landed cost (meaning including the freight charges, duties, etc.) The cost to the manufacturer might be closer to $5. All because 3+ different companies need to make money off of it. It's kinda nuts.
| 2 |
AskReddit/db6by0l
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5i8ynm
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If there was something you could do "risk free", where you could immediately undo it if it wasn't what you thought it would be, what would it be?
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Free fall from space like that extreme sports guy did for redbull. If I die I can just undo it but if I make it I imagine my perspective of a lot of things would change.
| 4 |
AskReddit/c3gwyp1
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ofi19
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What are your favorite questions to ask on a date?
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I remember at a seminar, this one guy pretty much nailed it on the head on the best topics to really get to know someone. He outlined the entire procedure as the following: Bump, Screw, and F them First is the "Bump". This is first physical contact such as a handshake, a literal bump, a tap on the shoulder, etc. Then is the "Screw" where you give them a reason to talk to you again. A date, an activity, etc. Thus, they are screwed talking to you again. Then the meaty part of it which answers your question is "F'in them". To F them, you simply talk and ask about 5 simple topics: Family, Friends, Fufilled Dreams, Favorites, and Fun. Any question that revolves around these 5 F's usually is the best way to go in my experience. These questions can really open people up in a date, mixer, bars, or any other setting where you're looking to know a person. I usually just focus on these topics, and usually everything comes naturally after that, since 5 different F's give you a lot of content to swing dialogue to, especially for a first date when you're trying to get them to open up and so you can know them better.
| 104 |
askscience/cxdp0xf
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3ubmz4
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If you visited a random star, how could you quickly determine if there are planets orbiting it?
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With today's science, you would have to photograph the system, while filtering out the star. Repeat every few hours, comparing photographs. Anything that moved is likely a planet. Add 200 years to technology and your computer would automatically filter out all known background stars. Leaving planets.
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