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why does wind feel colder than stagnant air?
The wind or a fan doesn't actually cool anything. All it does is move air across surfaces faster. You are feeling heat leave your body faster because that heat is moving along with the flowing air. We perceive that loss of heat as "cold".
Why do spins/jumps in sports continuously get more intense?
It's primarily two things: 1. Better equipment. Technology plays a larger role in these things than most people realize. Simply the fact that modern equipment is lighter, stronger, has more flex, rebound and spring allows athletes to do things that were literally impossible 20 years ago. 2. Athletes start training at a much younger age now. They are able to master many techniques sooner - including those techniques that led to that first backflip or triple McTwisty or whatever. Instead of figuring out how to do something, they learn how to do it and figure out how to improve on it.
What causes free WiFi hotspots at hotels etc to be so patchy and unreliable.
Setting up a wifi mesh is expensive, and frankly not worth the effort and cost for many small motels. Larger ones try and do cheaply. The effective result is, small motels just put a consumer router in the lobby or manager's office, and it's range is a hundred feet from there. Large ones may have a mesh, but insufficient access points to cover the entire complex.
Why does the moon cause waves in the ocean but not on smaller bodies of water like lakes?
The moon doesn't really cause waves, it causes tides. Wind causes waves, and the ocean has a lot more wind than lakes do.
Why does the value of currencies fluctuate?
The fluctuations are a result of supply and demand for that currency. For example, let's say there's suddenly huge global demand for American widgets. Companies all over the world want to buy those American widgets to sell in their own countries. Those foreign companies would drive up the demand for US Dollars in order to purchase the widgets, which makes US Dollars rise in value in relation to other currencies. There are better examples and explanations as well - try using the search bar to see if you can't find any of the previous answers.
Why does music seem to require so much specialized knowledge and adherence to rules for a person to create it, whereas visual art is something anyone can jump into intuitively (not master it, but at least create something potentially appealing).
I've always found it to be the other way round. Maybe your own natural talents lie in the direction of visual art so you think it is easier.
Reddit bots. What are they? How do they work? Who makes them? How do you make one?
A Reddit bot is a program that runs on someone's computer. This program can access Reddit through a computer-friendly interface. They typically work by periodically requesting a list of posts or comments, then searching through the text of those posts or comments looking for a certain string of letters, then they put together a pre-determined response and post it. They're made by anyone who knows how to program and wants a bot. I made one a few months back when there was a scammer trying to rip off honest people. The program would alert me when they posted so that I could show up and call him out on his bullshit. The easiest way to make one is to download the Python language if your system doesn't already have it, then get the PRAW library which gives you convenient ways to access Reddit. From there you write the logic of what you want the bot to do (note: requires knowledge of programming) and you run it. There are other packages available in other languages as well.
Why do we consciously make bad/wrong decisions, even though we know the outcome will be bad?
Humans are wired to forget how a bad experience **feels**. You get arrested, the entire experience sucks and you're miserable. The next week, you're looking at it and laughing about it. It's the same reason people are easily trapped in toxic relationships. That terrible fight you had last week seems like it wasn't a big deal until you have it again. It's not necessarily a bad thing though. It also allows you to forgive and keep trying even after experiencing failure. Here's a TEDtalk on the subject: _URL_0_
Why nuclear plant computers are connected to the Internet and vulnerable to cyberattacks?
Imagine you have a computer on your house. Now you want to connect that computer to your friend 100 miles away. How do you do it? You could lay a 100 mile cable, but do you have the permissions to dig up roads and pathways? You would use a company whose cables were already there, and just use that network of cables to access you friends computer. This is exactly what these power stations do - along with a large amount of other businesses. However there are ways to keep the data being transferred secure; like VPN and encryption etc but that's a little more than ELI5.
How would we think if we didn't have language?
Radiolap episode about adults without language and how they think. _URL_0_ The interviewee's book. _URL_1_ tl;dr - we would have extreme difficulty extrapolating information or connecting ideas. This means we'd be pretty confused and surprised all the time, which means we'd be a lot more fearful, cautious, unhappy, and unproductive.
Why does shaking a liquid mix everything together and not separate it?
It's called agitation if you were to spin it with screens finer and finer toward the outside you would then separate it,but thats only part of it the lighter material will go to the top so you could actually just stack screens one on top of another and separate elements that way
Why do wedding dresses turn yellow after a period of time?
Many white things turn yellow over time. Generally it's the result of sunlight or oxidation. White cotton generally gets its white color from being bleached and washed with fabric whiteners. Fabric whiteners and brighteners are temporary dyes that add a slight blueish tint to the wash. Modern ones use optical brighteners _URL_0_ In the old days people used Reckitt’s Blue, which was a blue bar of soap, which was scrapped and the flakes added the wash. It coated clothes in a blue powder that made yellowish clothes look white at least until the powder fell off from wear. Edit: minerals like iron in the water, makeup and sweat also make white clothes turn yellowish.
How come most houses have slanted roofs but most other buildings are flat?
In the old days roofing materials were not as great as they are now. Traditional materials need a good slope to shed rain properly, and even more so to shed a heavy load of snow. Modern materials are tougher, but generally people building homes enjoy a traditional style because tradition feels cozy to many people.
My cat goes wild in the presence of bleach. Why is this?
Well, shit, it sounds like she's getting some kind of chemical high. I'm not a veterinarian but I suspect it's probably not good for her brain (because chemicals rarely are, and bleach is known to be toxic). I'd say keep her in a bathroom or something if you're gonna be bleaching.
How is Oxygen stored in water and how can fish extract it to breathe?
Oxygen is just dissolved in water, in the same way that you can dissolve sugar in water, or carbon dioxide in water to make a soda. Fish gills have a huge surface area to maximize how much contact they make with the passing water. Oxygen molecules cross the membrane of the gills just like they do in our lungs, and then get carried to the rest of the body through the fish's circulation!
Why Americans are more conservative and religious than Europeans ?
Well, I think it's just that Americans are louder and hence given more coverage. I'm from England and there are *plenty* of old conservative folk here, who hold the same opinions as white old Americans. I think, in my opinion, they're a little nicer about it and don't go out of their way to show hatred. Yep, people are very conservative here - especially in little "cathedral" towns or villages, but they're quieter.
The legal battle between Apple and Google.
I think this article explains pretty well whats going on with them. The Journalist even breaks down some of the patents. _URL_0_
Why are so many health issues worse in the early morning?
The side effects from the medicine that I take before bed are at their worst in the morning. I would imagine that for some people, waking up after a night of not having your medicine and it being time to take it makes the symptoms of their illness worse. Even if you don't take medicine, your body's chemicals and hormones are going to change with the activity you are doing - sleeping, being awake, being highly active. I'm cool with the idea of having my consciousness put into a robot body, no more pesky human health issues. ...That got weird, but I'll stand by it.
Why do all of the victims of ISIS beheadings look so calm and nonchalant?
I've read it's because they do so many mock executions and tell them that they just need to do it for pictures and videos. After ten or fifteen times of the posing, over the course of weeks or months, the captive generally looks more clam.
What is this new "Common Core" math?
First, an important thing to remember is that the Common Core is a set of standards, meaning it is up to the teacher how to reach those standards, so if you find some of the problems odd, the blame is more on the teacher. Anyways, the purpose of common core as I understand it is to emphasize students not memorizing numbers, formulas, equations, etc. but to learn how to think critically and use basic knowledge in more complicated problems mirroring the real world. In geometry, you'd be taught the various rules, such as what are complementary angles, and then you'd need to be able to figure out more complicated real world problems. TL;DR If I have it right, the purpose of the CC standards is to make students better critical thinkers using math. Being able to take basic math knowledge and figure out more complicated real world-like problems is the goal.
Why is there ringing in your ears in complete silence?
there are little tiny "hairs" in your ear that are actually very sensitive cells that detect vibrations in the air that you brain interprets, thus, you can hear things. Sometimes, these little "hairs" get flattened out, by a very loud sound or by a natural quirk in your body. The ringing you hear is the the cells straightening themselves back out slowly. Imagine them like carpet that was under some furniture that you just moved. Your brain is wired to interpret any movement from them as sound, so you get that phantom sound at a low level as they stand back up. Edit: Children of Men was an AWESOME movie, but the whole swan's song theory (that when you have ringing in your ears you will never hear that pitch again) is a common misconception.
Why is it after a person is saved from a fire, they are wrapped in a blanket afterwards?
generally I think it is a thermal blanket which helps against shock.
Why are some sites fooled by VPN and others not?
You're *signing in* to Facebook. You've already given it all your info including your location and all your friends names.
Why are typhoons named but not other natural disasters?
Hurricanes are named by the World Meteorological Organization specifically to make it easier for people to find and track news about them in order to better prepare. Hurricanes, unlike a lot of other natural disasters, are big lumbering things. You rarely are caught off guard by them, as our ability to track them means we know about them weeks ahead of time. The key to safety for a hurricane is to get people out of the way of them. So the easier we make it for people to consume news about them, the easier we make it for people to know they need to get out of the way.
What's the deal with anchovies on pizza? I've never had them and don't understand why they're so controversial on pizza.
Anchovies have a pretty strong and unique flavor. Because of this it's kind of hard to have a moderate opinion; people either love anchovies (right here) or find them disgusting. They also have a strong odor, which adds to things.
Why do self posts take so long to load while imgur links load instantly?
Self posts are dynamic and imgur links are static. That is, self posts have to handle upvotes, loads of comments, comment upvotes, comment hierarchies (sorted variously), etc..., whereas imgur just serves you the file. I'm not entirely sure, but I think I saw that on reddit somewhere.
Can "playing dead" really trick Bears? whats the reasoning behind this? Bears dont eat/kill seemingly dead things?
Playing dead is only suggested for Brown and Polar Bears and it does two things. 1 - It makes them think you're not something they would want to eat, bears aren't usually scavengers. 2 - It makes them think you're not a threat and therefore they don't want to fight you.
Why are calculator numpads vs. phone numpads vertically reversed in number order?
Actually, keypas on the Calculator and on the phone have different developments: For Calculators, the old mechanical machines needed a deeper keypress for higher numbers, and those can be achived easily on the "back" of the keypad as it is higher. When the first electronic calculators were developed the Layout was inherited. Older phones on the other hand had [dial plates](_URL_0_) where the numbers went from 1 to 0. Newer phones with a keypad inherited the same order resulting in the now known keypad.
When governments print more new money, who gets it first (and gets to spend it before inflation kicks in)?
The government spends it. In order for the government to be affected by inflation when spending their new money, a pensioner, bond-holder, or government employee would have to haggle. Over time the government could choose to raise pensions, interest rates, and salaries in response to inflation, but the government is too slow to do it immediately.
How do people who release leaks on to torrent websites originally obtain them ex. Game of thrones
There's three reasons why TV shows or any other media is leaked: - The production crew is huge usually hundreds of people. Someone such as an intern could easily steal a tape from an editor or someone in a similar position and then go home and upload it to the internet. - The company producing the show also sends out review copies for early reviews. One of these people who receive a review copy could upload it themselves. - Sometimes companies purposely "leak" an episode of their show to get public interest going or free advertising.
When we say someone has a "good" or "poor" vocabulary, how many words more or less are in their functional command?
Depending on who you ask, there are around a million English words. You can take vocabulary tests that check you know just a couple of hundred words, chosen to cover a wide range, and they tend to tell you how many "word families" you know. The idea of a word family is explained as > words such as nation, national, nationalise, and international are all considered to be members of the same family Apparently native english speakers know some 20,000 word families. If you know more than that, your vocab might be considered "good", if you know fewer it might be considered "poor". I just took one of those I found from google and it said [26,900](_URL_0_) word families. I don't know how many I got wrong, but that might give you an idea of the general range we're talking about. Edit: I did a different one which said [27,800](_URL_1_), so you can see this method has some variance in it.
Why airports can't group planes by carrier?
Generally speaking, they do, within reasonable size limits and the like.
Do American citizens have a right to freedom of information?
There is an overriding concept in the American view of government: All government information is public unless there is a really good reason for it not to be. The law in most jurisdictions reflects this: citizens have a right to government information unless that information has been, by law, specifically excluded from disclosure.
Why do bees store honey
Honey is the bees' food, so they store it for times like winter when they can't harvest flower nectar to turn into honey.
When public bathrooms are moving more to no-touch required basins \ soap dispensers \ dryers, why do 95% of the doors open inwards, so that you have to pull a handle as you leave.
Doors that open outwards may be blocked from the other side. So, a person may be trapped inside by being unable to push. By opening a door inwards, it greatly reduces the chance of the door not being able to be opened. A bathroom tends not to have any secondary exits. This is a researched guess on my part.
Why do movies/TV shows/commercials always seem to use empty opaque cups (i.e. a coffee cup) or other containers, when a simpleton like me can easily spot that they're empty just by watching?
Continuity, if they use real drinks in a clear glass, and the scene requires them to take a drink, they would have to refill the glass to the exact original spot for each take (and a film can do up to 10 takes for each scene). And the actors would have drunk an unholy of water by the end. It saves a lot of trouble just to have them mime drinking from an empty cup.
Can humans survive on ONLY vegetables, no drinks?
No. We are not designed to get our water only from food and you cannot get sufficient amounts from just eating fruits and vegetables. In fact it is fairly difficult to get all the nutrients we need just from vegetables. You have to supplement with things like Algae, nuts, etc.
Why does my voice sound weird to me when I listen to it on a recording?
When you normally hear your own voice you hear it echoing through your skull. You don't get that effect from a recording.
Do today's video games keep you playing like casinos do, throwing you wins once in a while to keep you playing longer?
There have been news recently of a patent filed by Activision for a system designed to goad players into buying more microtransaction items by doing things like matching them up against better players with premium items that the manipulated player doesn't have, to make them believe that they would be more successful in the game if they went ahead and bought the premium item. Directly after the purchase of the item, the game would make sure to match the players against worse opponents to make them feel good about their purchase. Activision claimed they haven't implemented the feature into any of their games…yet. Edit: For a somewhat more positive example from the same company, Hearthstone has a system where the chance of getting a Legendary card inside of a pack slowly increases the more packs you buy, to the point where you are absolutely guaranteed to get at least one Legendary every 40 packs you open.
Why does it hurt to move a limb after it "fell asleep"?
You have nerves in your body that send signals to different parts to work-- specifically muscles. They begin from your spinal cord, branch, and extend all the way to your fingers and toes. Your arm or leg falls asleep when pressure is placed on the nerve or when blood is cut off from supplying the nerve. The effect is similar to when you hit your funny bone (your ulnar nerve) which can be painful, and cause the pins and needles sensation. People with more common nerve compressions which can be chronic may have diagnoses such as sciatica or carpal tunnel syndrome and experience a range of painful symptoms.
- Why do smells get "burned in" to your nose? (Bleach, vomit, etc)
It's because those particles are in aerosols, little droplets of water with other things mixed in. And those droplets get in your nose and deposit their contents on the mucosal lining. Eventually you secrete enough mucus to wrap them all up, you swallow that, and it's gone. But until that time you can still smell them because they are still there, just hanging out inside your nasal cavity.
What is wrong with means testing?
(UK) Sometimes implementing it is more expensive than just giving the benefit to everyone who claims it (eg UK child benefit) Sometimes it misses the point (e.g. child benefit could be claimed directly by mothers who weren't working which in some cases acted as support for the kids where there was a dysfunctional relationship with the well earning father who controlled the money) Whilst the benefits system is fragmented, means testing is a nightmare to implement in cost effective way. That might change once universal credit system is fully rolled out.
How do the companies that sponsor benefit from having game shows give away their products to contestants?
I was on a game show with my family once and the show had a specific rule. "If we offer a prize you act excited. You clap, cheer, etc. if you miss out on a prize, act disappointed. Whether or not you like the prize, or already own the prize, you will make that prize seem like the best thing in the world or we'll send you back to your seat and pick some other contestant who will."
Why Muzzle velocity is measured in feet per second rather than mph/kph.
Because bullets generally travel in units of feet rather than units of miles and the United States uses the Imperial system rather than the metric system for common units of measure.
How come after drinking a lot of beer (calories), I want to eat something bad for me (more calories).
This is going to be a very simple explanation, there are a lot of biological factors involved but this is basically it. Alcohol is a depressant, when you get drunk your consciousness decreases based on how much you drink. When this happens, people tend to become very instinctual. You start trying to fulfill your instinctual needs... Such as sex, sleep, and hunger. Now we go to the past, long story short, humans LOVE fat and greasy stuff. It kept us warm in the past. (Long long time ago)... So essentially, in your stupor state, you tend to like more fatty foods due to evolutionary instincts of liking fatty stuffs.
What is the difference between hard and soft water?
Hard water has more minerals dissolved in it (calcium etc); you soften water by adding salt, which binds to the minerals. Hard water can leave mineral deposits throughout the system, and makes soap difficult to lather.
How do people die of Heatstroke before Dehydration?
your body has a limited ability to cool itself. so heatstroke without dehydration would be something where your body temp gets too high but you still have water in your body.
Why are there holes in Swiss Cheese?
Basically: Cheese is milk that has gone bad because bacteria breed in it. The bacteria fart while breeding. The farts make up the holes and the stink of the cheese.
What mental effects does catnip have on a cat?
Catnip isn't psychoactive. It smells a lot like kitty pheromones. A cat's reaction to catnip is a reaction to feline sexy-time smell. [Here's](_URL_0_) a neat iO9 article about it.
why were tv and movies black and white?
Because the technology of how to create black and white photographs and moving pictures came first. Television at first was black and white too even though color movies already existed at that point. The technology to make color-tv was more expensive than b & w tv and the receivers for color were also more expensive. During the early phase of adoption they had to add color information in such a way as to not break anything for people with b & w tvs while allowing those with expensive new color tvs to get a color picture from the same signal. During the phase before it became normal some producers would create and broadcast shows in b & w despite color being available because it was cheaper to do so and not many would have the color receivers to see the difference.
why it goes vitamin A to E, then jumps to K. What happened to F to J?
Most of them were renamed upon being grouped into the B Vitamin group; for example vitamin G was the old name for riboflavin, which later became known as vitamin B2. Vitamin F was different: It was the old name for essential fatty acids, which were considered vitamins at the time of their discovery but have since been reclassified as fats.
Why are Jews (race not religion) not considered to be Arab?
Because they descend from Semitic, not Arabic origins. They are more closely related to Persians, who are also not Arab.
Why helicopters and planes can't get out of the earth?
They need to push down on the air to keep flying. In space, there's no air to push down on. Eventually, the air becomes so thin that you can't push enough of it down to keep yourself up. You can swim in water, because it's dense, and you can push water down and pull yourself up as a result. Now try swimming in air. Not as easy, eh? Not enough air to push down so you can 'swim' in it. It's the same thing for planes and helicopters, it's just that since they can already fly in air, their critical point happens when air is a lot thinner.
If all humans switched to a plant based diet, and all meat, dairy and egg industries disappeared, how would this new and increased demand for plants based foods affect the environment?
Corn is horrible for the soil, so we would probably have more fertile soil. We should be growing up, instead of in fields. Large greenhouses that go up many stories. Each city could have one big enough to sustain the community. We already know how certain plants are harvested, so we could use robots to pick the yield.
How dangerous is turbulence on a commercial flight? What are the risks, and how high are they?
It's annoying, and you should try to avoid being out of your seat when it hits. But really, airplanes are amazingly beefy for their weight. They are built to take any turbulence you're likely to experience, and more. Just pretend you got a free ticket to Six Flags when you booked your flight. EDIT: Here's a video of one of the tests: _URL_3_
- Gabriel's horn, I just don't get it.
The small tail end keeps going indefinitely, thus the surface area keeps going (since the surface area is calculated by multiplying by the length, which is an infinite number.). Before we talk about volume, remember that 0.999999999999..... = 1. 99.9999% of the volume is at the larger end of the cone and it decreases as it gets towards the end, so even though the surface area keeps going, the volume will not increase enough to round it up to a number that matters. [Here's a good visual representitive](_URL_0_). Doesn't matter how long it can go on, the digits towards the end will not make it round up to 1.
Why is there a militia occupying the Malheur Wildlife refuge.
The federal government still owns a good portion of the land in the Western United States. [Here's a map.](_URL_0_) It's still a big area of contention for many people. Some of this land is protected (like the wildlife preserve in Oregon where the standoff is taking place) and much of it isn't available for use. This militia is basically taking a stand to return this federal land to the states.
Morse code. Is it, it's own language or is it in English? How did it become universal?
Morse code isn't a language, it's an alphabet, although it uses the same letters as english. Individual letters are signified with a combination of dots and dashes, and words are spelled out as per normal. So you can use morse code with whatever language is compatible with the letters you have available to you.
Why do cats go crazy when you rub the base of their tail?
Wouldn't you go crazy if someone rubbed the base of your tail?
Can someone explain to me the significance of the Lucy fossil andwhy its a big deal?
Lucy was significant because her skeleton was relatively intact, she was bipedal, and she had a small brain. Her fossil showed that human ancestors started walking around on two legs before they started developing larger brains, which is significant in the study of human evolution.
How can a doctor/dentist/optometrist etc. practice in a state and not accept the sate's insurance?
It's not state run or federally run health care in the US. It's still a choice for the doctors on whether or not to participate. For most it's what keeps the patients coming so they do it. The ones who don't have either decided the hassle of dealing w/ the plan isn't worth it or they're so busy they don't need the patients from Plan X.
Would eating a bunch of cooked bacteria be nutritionally similar to eating cooked meat?
Don't know about bacteria but I can find nutritional information on nutritional yeast. Yeast are single-celled organisms but they're technically fungi & not bacteria. Here's the nutritional information from a 100g serving: | Yeast | Beef (cooked) | -|--------|------| calories | 281 | 211 calories from fat | 31 | 100 total fat | 3g | 11g cholesterol | 0mg | 84mg sodium | 31mg | 53mg Total carbs | 31g | 0g dietary fiber | 25g | 0g sugar | 6g | 0g Protein | 50g | 26g Iron | 25% | 9% I'll let somebody smarter than me comment on how much alike or different yeast is from your typical bacteria. sources: * _URL_0_ * _URL_1_
Can someone explain what it is about music theory that allows pretty much every song to be mashed with eachother in a way that fits?
Songwriters are unimaginative. They use the same stupid chord progressions and scales and rhythms over and over and over and over again. The energy of a song is largely independent of the scale/harmony, so that's no barrier. Key doesn't matter because you just shift one song or the other up or down until the two songs match. And because we all use the same stupid scales, the chords often barely matter as well. The melody from All Star is mostly pentatonic which means it works with *virtually any* typical Western chord progression. There's a reason this is done with mostly pop songs and not, say, King of Limbs-era Radiohead.
The RNA world hypothesis
Currently: DNA- > RNA- > protein=functional enzymes DNA codes for proteins that are enzymes that do things in your body such as copying DNA. As it so happens, RNA can perform both functions: holding information and acting as an enzymes. The RNA world hypothesis is that RNA was the first biopolymer and performed both as an enzyme and as a template for making more copies of itself. Later DNA was evolved as a more stable information carrier and proteins as better (more diverse/stable/more modes of regulation) enzymes.
Question about light and my fan
If your bike light s an LED, it's not really varying in intensity, it's just strobing, the moving fan blades highlight the strobe effect.
The difference between aftershave/perfumes and eau de toilette.
aftershaves- theyre basically lotion in the disguise of a nice smelling perfume. its a little safer to put on your face, and they have slight chemicals in them that soothe freshly shaved skin. its almost like a lotion in the form and scent of perfume. perfume- this is generally the highest in concentration levels. they have 15%-40% concentration and these are the sprays that you put on for a full day of work because the smells are made to last longer and be stronger. eau de toilette- this is one of the least concentrated ones.the smell isnt intended for a long purpose as you can just spray more whenever you want to and it wont be overwhelming. its usually very liquidy and comes in a spray bottle. typically this is just a quick "im clean but want to smell even cleaner" as the smell fades and doesnt spread through the whole room like a strong perfume will. generally these are only 4%-15% concentrate. edit- the percents to show how different they can be in how potent the smell is.
Why is it sometimes economically rational to keep loss-making firms afloat?
The product may also be so socially or economically valuable that the government chooses to subsidize the industry. Many governments do this with basic services like electricity, water, and gas to control the price of those services. The price stays so low that the company operates at a loss, the government makes up the difference. This is usually a good deal for most consumers, they get their services at less than the free market price. Governments often also choose to subsidize farms to ensure a stable, secure food supply. You can't have a bad year put a bunch of farms out of business, food is important.
Chemically, what happens to your body (brain) when you can’t stop laughing?
I'm just guessing but it could be related to some activity in one of the Many cannabinoid receptors which are known to be able to send people into awesome fits of laughter when exposed to oral or smoked cannabis. Interesting question I must say
What makes C++ a better language than C? Or in other words, what are all the advantages of Object-Oriented Programming?
Both C and C++ look similar, but there are features in C++ that C doesn't have. Most problems can be solved using either C or C++, but sometimes the extra features of C++ make solving the problem much easier. Think of it this way: You are trying to build something. You have the choice of using a toolbox containing one flathead screwdriver and a pair of scissors, or you can use a toolbox containing 12 different screwdrivers, a saw, a wrench set, and a bunch of power tools. Which would you choose?
How does applying heat to something actually relieve the pain?
It depends upon the kind of pain. For muscle aches, heat causes blood vessels to relax and dialate. This means more nutrients are going into the area, promoting healing and carrying away toxins faster. For other sorts of pain - like a burn or an area swollen with infection, apply heat is a terrible idea. Cooling is effective as it causes blood vessels to clinch closed -and the problem is too much fluid in the area.
Sometimes when I go to bed, I fall asleep for 15 minutes and wake up completely refreshed and unable to fall back asleep for hours. How does this happen?
And how is it when I sleep for 12 hours, I wake up as though I didn't sleep at all
Salt and ice - Why the burning sensation?!
When salt meets ice it lowers the freezing point of the water. The result is super cold water. This is why salt is used to melt ice on roads, and why you use salt and ice to make icecream. The reason is that the salt goofs up the formation of ice crystals, making it much harder for the water molecules to line up and freeze into ice.
Why do all currencies undergo inflation over time?
That's an over-generalization. The underlying resources that give value to a currency tend to expand over time. In the rare instances where they contract over the long-term - such as the Japanese population declining - currency can go in the opposite direction and deflate.
Why is it so hard to make friends after you turn 25?
The biggest factor is opportunity. Young people are almost always set up in large groups due to school. This also happens at a time in their lives when they are very open minded. As you grow older your personality tends to solidify and you tend to judge other people more solidly then when you are young. You also don't tend to reach out of your circle to find new people as often. Now yes most adults work in places with a large number of other employees but the ages of those employees tends to be much more spread out than the ages of your peers when you're in school, and there is far less time for flat out socialization in the work place. **TL:DR** It's not you, it happens to everyone.
What causes the attraction to "odd" physical traits? My attraction to slightly gapped teeth, for example.
Perhaps you were attracted to someone with this trait earlier in life, and you associate that trait unconsciously with a person who may have shaped your image of an attractive person. What is considered "attractive" can change from era to era, and culture to culture. One way or another we are exposed at an early age to what this image is. Straight and clean-white teeth are often a feature of the attractive people featured in media and culture, so not only do we factor that into our opinions but we imitate them to acquire some of that image. I find women that remind me of my first girlfriend have a different appeal to me than other women who may have other "attractive" features. Its not that my first girlfriend was stunning or conversely unattractive, but I associate with her appearance a generally successful relationship with someone I was attracted to.
why too cold things sometimes are felt like hot things?
For your sensory system something that is very hot vs something that is very cold is very similar response. You get the same systems responding to both situations. Your body thinks a cold burn and a hot burn are the same thing because they both equally suck from an evolutionary point of view.
How a gas pump knows when my gas tank is full
[From Wikipedia](_URL_0_): > Most modern pumps have an auto cut-off feature that stops the flow when the tank is full. This is done with a second tube, the sensing tube, that runs from just inside the mouth of the nozzle up to a Venturi pump in the pump handle. A mechanical valve in the pump handle detects this change of pressure and closes, preventing the flow of fuel.
I have acid reflux. What is happening inside of my body that makes it feel like I am softly belching molten lava?
You are burping up a strong stomach acid and while your stomach has a protective lining, your throath has not. The acid is corroding your throath and that feels like belching molten lava.
Why do humans only have one hair color, but other mammals, like my dog, have more than one hair colors?
1) When an animal is being hunted, if they blend in well they have a lower chance of being caught. So they will live to pass on their chromosomes and so on and so forth. [Read about Disruptive selection](_URL_1_) [Countershading - when an animal's stomache has lighter color](_URL_0_) [And dog coats!](_URL_2_) If this doesn't explain it well enough, tell me and I'll attempt to explain more in detail. 2) Humans can have multiple shades of hair color. My pubic hair is black, my beard grows blonde and my hair is red.
Which countries don't rely on the US for their internet?
Net neutrality won't really affect other countries. Comcast, Verizon don't control the backbone and messing with the backbone would quickly get America as a whole thrown off the internet. As a general rule most big/wealthy countries control their own internet. China for instance blocks most foreign web sites for political reasons. If America did something stupid they could have their own internet up and running in a few days. tl,dr - America is not in a position to charge other countries for specific content. If we tried we'd quickly find out how impotent we are in the modern era.
Why are American right wing politicians and citizens so adamant about denying climate change?
1. If the government concludes that man-made climate change is a real thing, and a problem, then they will probably change policies in order to respond. 2. Some of these policy changes will probably decrease the amount of fossil fuels Americans consume, and others will probably require significant changes to cars that are sold. 3. These changes will cost oil/coal/gas companies a lot of business, and impose big costs on car manufacturers. 4. Companies that stand to lose money by these changes will pay money to politicians and "experts" to deny that there is a problem, thus preventing Step 1.
Why ejaculation feels better the longer you last?
Because your brain has more time to "set things in place" - orgasms are partly chemical and partly electrical.
Why do I get addicted to stupid idling games like Cookie Clicker?
because they are: 1) simple 2) engaging 3) rewarding It is my personal theory that if you make something be all three of these things that people will do it - it doesn't matter what it is. Games are just conducive to being these three things. Now just because something isn't all three doesn't mean people won't do it - but if something is all three then people basically will have no choice and will do it.
What led to the "Top 1%" economic gap? And compared to how the general population perceives it, what is the actual economic spread? Is the government doing anything about this?
This is not a new phenomenon. The [power curve](_URL_1_) has shown up in economics and various other disciplines again and again. This was first analyzed in a scholarly context by Vilfredo Pareto, who in 1896 noted that [80% of the land in Italy was owned by 20% of the population.](_URL_2_) Research and simulations suggest that this inequality arises naturally in a free market system, and is not necessarily due to corruption or conspiracy (though those could potentially amplify the effect). You can draw a line arbitrarily at the 20% mark, as Pareto did, or at the 1% mark, as the Occupy movement does, but it can be helpful to keep [the entire curve](_URL_0_) in mind. Edit: Better image of income curve
Do local news anchors only work a few hours a day, or what else are they doing? What are some of their job responsibilities besides presenting the news for an hour?
These days news anchors do other things. They report, they do appearances, they write copy and web scripts. They shoot and edit franchise pieces. Maybe if it's a top 20 market they will only anchor but that's rare these days. Still, producers do 99% of the work.
What is the difference between asthma and bronchitis?
Symptom wise they are pretty similar. From a health care professionals standpoint, bronchitis would be more acute and caused by an infection or such (unless it's chronic bronchitis, which is confusing) and asthma would be a chronic condition. Physiologically, bronchitis and asthma both have inflammation involved but asthma mostly involves the tightening of the muscles as well, which is why inhalers are used which relaxes the muscles in the lungs. Bronchitis' symptoms are more from the massive inflammation which makes the airways more constricted. The symptoms are very similar cause it's the same organ being affected, but the details of why the organ is malfunctioning are a bit different...unless you have asthmatic bronchitis which has the best of both worlds. Like for bronchitis, taking a beta - blocker like Albuterol(inhaler) won't be as effective since beta - blockers relax muscle contraction.
Belly Button Fluff please
Google this, there are scientific studies. The lint comes from your underwear. Studies traced the origins of the fibers. They get there by mechanical motion of your body movements, through the hair in your groin and on your belly. That's right, underwear fibers get shimmied up your front from rubbing on your hair as you move, and collect in your belly button. You don't even have to wear your underwear high for this to happen. Keep yourself trimmed, and the problem will go away.
Why are there no Wikipedia pages on famous medieval jesters?
Apparently your Google/Wiki search talents are awful. [Archibald Armstrong](_URL_2_) [William Sommers](_URL_1_) [Robert Armin](_URL_0_)
What happens if an astronaut aboard the ISS should need immediate surgery (ie: Appendicitis)?
There are various medicines on board that they could use, as well as consulting with doctors on earth. If those didn't help, there are emergency Dearborn procedures. A spare Soyuz is kept docked to the ISS for emergency situations, such as medical emergencies, or meteoroids. So if necessary, they could try to return to Earth.
How can a huge statistic such as the world population be even remotely accurate?
Well, governments do. They issue birth certificates and death certificates. Of course it's not totally accurate but the census teams do a lot of research to estimate how many records are missing and figure out the margin of error. That's included in the estimated population.
How do our bodies "Naturally" wake up with no alarm, nobody mowing their lawn outside etc?
Your body has what's called Circadian Rhythm. It determines basically when you sleep and when you eat but is affected by the sun and your environment and any number of other factors. Even more basically it tells your body's metabolism when to work and when to chill out. If you've been sleeping too long your body will wake you up because you need energy whether that's simply the sun or water or food. Conversely too much of either of those things are likely to put you to sleep so your body has time to recoup.
Short selling. How can you make money betting against a stock?
If I told you I was going out of town and could pick up something you wanted, I could ask for the money up front. We both know what it's worth now. However, when I actually get there, the price has dropped, and I just pocket the difference.
How can a 300m wide comet hitting Earth be so catastrophic?
Because it has a lot of kinetic energy. Drop a bullet on your hand from six inches and it won't do any damage, shoot a bullet at your hand and it will FSU.
is there any actual benefit to natural diamonds versus cubic zirconia?
You know that a cubic zirconia is not an artificial diamond, right? It's just that in jewelry it can be cut to resemble a diamond, even though it doesn't have the exact same properties (eg. lower refractive index).
The Euro is an "E" (€). The Chinese Yuan is a "Y" (¥). The Korean Won is a "W" (₩). Most currencies' symbols are based on the first letter of their currency but then why is the dollar sign a $?
> The sign is first attested in British, American, Canadian, Mexican and other Spanish American business correspondence in the 1770s, referring to the Spanish American peso,[1][2] also known as "Spanish dollar" or "piece of eight" in British North America, which provided the model for the currency that the United States later adopted in 1785 and the larger coins of the new Spanish American republics such as the Mexican peso, Peruvian eight-real and Bolivian eight-sol coins. > > The best documented explanation reveals that the sign evolved out of the Spanish and Spanish American scribal abbreviation "pˢ" for pesos. A study of late eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century manuscripts shows that the s gradually came to be written over the p developing a close equivalent to the "$" mark.[3][4][5][6][7] A variation, though less plausible, of this hypothese derives the sign from a combination of the Greek character "psi" (ψ) and "S".[8] _URL_0_
Why was the concept of the month developed/accepted? Why don't we count the date as "Day 275" of the year, for example?
The concept of the month was based on the cycles of the moon, which last about 29 days. The English word "month" comes from the word "moon".
Why was Canada involved in WWII if they were never directly attacked?
Because the UK was. Britain pulled the majority of their former colonies into the war; remember, Canada did and still does share a head of state with the UK.
What is 'visual theater'?
This is not a standard term, so you are not going to get a good explanation here. Sometimes artists just invent terms.
Why is 80 proof (40% alcohol by volume) the standard alcohol content in most hard liquors?
When a similar question was asked [last year](_URL_0_), it was shown that it's in fact regulated in the US that liquor is bottled at ["not less than 80 proof."](_URL_1_) Most vendors, therefore, tend to dilute alcohol to the minimum required by law in a major market (that is, 80 proof or 40% ABV), though there's some variation from country to country.
Why do people have such naturally fragile feet (requiring shoes) when other animals do not.
We don't have naturally fragile feet. Most of us have unnaturally fragile feet because of the invention of footwear.