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Why is there not an anonymous bit-torrent protocol?
There is, sort of. It's called [Freenet](_URL_0_), but it can only be accessed using their client software (not your regular torrent client), and it is extremely, extremely slow. Proper anonymity is extremely difficult to achieve, especially in a peer-to-peer context like bittorrent.
Why does a punch hurt even after I've been hit?
Your body releases chemicals that cause your ions to discharge in your nerves, there are still residual effects and chemicals along side your nerves are still discharging ions basically waves of reaction after the hit.
Do submerged submarines rock or bob? Why, why not?
Most of the wave action is on the surface. So the bobbing and rolling that surface ships experience is minimal. There are still some currents under the surface that can push the sub around, plus as water is pumped into and out of the sub to cool various equipment the trim of the sub changes. Plus a perfectly neutrally buoyant sub is not stable, so the forward and rear ballast tanks are constantly being adjusted to point the sub up or down as necessary. Same for the control surfaces. So there are some subtle changes.
How do theatres get movies?
These days, it's (almost) all digital. For the most production companies, they use "DCP" or Digital Cinema Package. This is a specially prepared / packaged harddrive (in a fancy plastic enclosure) that is shipped/couriered to the theatre. The content on the drive is encrypted. It is transferred to the theatre's server via USB. There is a decrypt key tied to the DCP file bundle and the theatre (actually, the projector)...that way things are tracked very closely. The same DCP bundle is sent to each theatre, but the DCP producers know what projectors it can be played back on. I'm not sure of the key structure, other than it's 128bit. I suspect that there is no obvious way to grab the decrypted files for piracy purposes...but I presume there is a way, and the film industry just keeps their mouth shut. I also suspect that most leaks are done long before the DCP is created and shipped to theatres. Edit: [Here](_URL_0_)is a drive in the Pelican box
Why do cats love seafood so much?
For cats, protein is essential to their diets. They're carnivores, afterall. Fish is a great source of protein and cats are attracted to foods high in protein. In fact, cats can't even taste "sweetness" - only "savory" flavors. This helps them avoid fruit and berries.
Why is it that when I'm trying to sleep, and someone has left the window in the room next door open, that the draft slams the door closed, opens it again, then slams it again, ad infinitum until I get up and close the bloody window.
Air from outside strikes the window. Since it's not locked, it can move, and thus opens. This is like blowing air out of your mouth against a napkin: it moves away. Once the window or door is open, air travels through it, and the [Bernoulli effect](_URL_0_) ("the faster a liquid or gas flows, the lower the pressure in that liquid or gas") causes the air pressure in the gap to slightly decrease. Now you have lower-pressure air on the outside-facing face of the window, and normal-pressure air on the inside-facing face of the window. Both push against the window, but the normal-pressure air pushes harder against the window than the lower-pressure air. This forces the window to slam shut, and the cycle can start again.
What is the difference between a soundtrack and a score?
A soundtrack is the compilation of all the sounds in a movie: the dialogue, the sound effects, and the music. The music includes original music made for the movie, or the songs chosen from existing material. The score is the original or adapted music made for the movie. The film's composer creates the music to correspond with the action of the movie. The score is a part of the soundtrack.
How does my body clear alcohol out of my system, and what actually is a hangover?
When you drink alcohol, it passes through your liver where it reacts with enzymes that metabolize it into things our body can eliminate more easily. First, it is converted to acetaldehyde by alcohol dehydrogenase, and then to acetic acid by aldehyde, which then is turned to acetyl CoA by ACSS2, and then it enters the citric acid cycle which is a metabolic cycle that metabolizes acetates from various things we consume like proteins, fats, and carbohydrates into carbon dioxide. The hangover is caused by metabolites like acetaldehyde that are still lingering in the body. This is why it is good to stay hydrated while drinking, as well as throughout the night afterwards.
Why are there "old, abandoned castles"? If I was rich, I would kill to refurbish one and live in it. But it seems nobody wants them
Because if you were rich and decided to refurbish and live in an old abandoned castle you would find yourself becoming considerably less rich with the amount of money it would cost you to do so. It would cost a LOT of money to refurbish most of those castles, and then you would constantly be spending money on it's upkeep as well. A lot of them are also degraded to the point that they would be close to impossible to actually refurbish (and meet building codes) and/or have historical protections on them preventing people from doing anything with them. If you were rich and wanted to live in a castle you would be better off just building a new one.
Why is the Filibuster still legal? Are there any actual redeeming factors to it?
The problem isn't the Filibuster, it's that the filibuster is being abused. What you're seeing with Rand Paul is EXACTLY what the Filibuster is supposed to be. You hold up Senate business because there is an issue you feel extremely strong about and want to draw attention to it. The problem is that the filibuster is being used to make a 60-vote majority needed to pass ANY legislation. Not just the most contentious issues, but the minority is even Filibustering Motions to Proceed. We need 60 votes to even GET TO the debate anymore.
Why can my internet easily load a 1080p YouTube video but then struggle to load a _URL_0_ stream on low quality?
When you download or stream something off of the internet, you have your own connection line and you are connecting to a server with its own connection line, the maximum speed of this connection is as fast as the slowest line. In most cases, you have the slowest line, because most websites are hosted in dedicated data centres. But sometimes, due to poor maintenance, high traffic or (most commonly) low budget, you are the faster, so the connection is slower than the maximum speed of your line.
Why do towels absorb the water
It is caused by Capillary action (sometimes capillarity, capillary motion, or wicking). Capillary action is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces without the assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like gravity. The effect can be seen in the drawing up of liquids between the hairs of a paint-brush, in a thin tube, in porous materials such as paper, in some non-porous materials such as liquified carbon fiber, or in a cell. It occurs because of intermolecular forces between the liquid and surrounding solid surfaces. If the diameter of the tube is sufficiently small, then the combination of surface tension (which is caused by cohesion within the liquid) and adhesive forces between the liquid and container act to lift the liquid. In short, the capillary action is due to the pressure of cohesion and adhesion which cause the liquid to work against gravity.
What mechanism of action gives marijuana it's psychedelic effects?
I don't have quite the answer you want, but it's worth noting that THC is only one of more than 20 cannabinoids found in weed. Acetylcholine and serotonin are also affected.
Why does video on my HD TV always look awesome and flawless, but video on my HD laptop is always buffering and looks crappy?
The quality of video isn't determined by the quality of the screen you view it on. It's based on the quality of the original video file. For example, you might watch a Blu-Ray on your TV, which has a bitrate of around 35Mbps. However, if you're watching Netflix in HD on your computer, it has a maximum bitrate of around 4Mbps- barely 1/9th the quality of the Blu-Ray file! Even broadcast HDTV is still going to be at around 16Mbps- four times the quality of your HD Netflix stream.
Brianne Altice was just sentenced to "two to thirty" years in prison for sexually abusing students in Utah. How is such a wide range of sentencing possible?
She plead guilty to [Forcible Sexual Assault](_URL_0_), which carries a sentence of 1 to 15 years per violation. "Judge Kay gave Altice three 1 to 15 year sentences, two to be served consecutively and one concurrently for a total of 2 to 30 years." [Source](_URL_1_). Since she's serving one of the charges concurrently, the time will run while she's serving the other charges. In other words, she's really only going to serve time for two of the instances for a total of 2 to 30 years. She has to serve at least 2 years and she won't serve more than 30. After 2 years a parole board will periodically review her case and determine when, if at all, she should be released on parole. Edit: Wrote on federal law earlier. However, this is Utah law being applied in a federal court.
Why are the disposable batteries cannot be recharged? And what makes the difference between disposable and rechargeable batteries?
Yo ho ho! Yer not alone in askin', and kind strangers have explained: 1. [ELI5: Why can't you recharge a disposable battery? ](_URL_4_) 1. [ELI5: Why can't you recharge regular batteries? ](_URL_2_) 1. [ELI5: How do rechargeable batteries work? ](_URL_6_) 1. [ELI5: The difference between Normal, and Rechargeable batteries. ](_URL_1_) 1. [ELI5: How rechargeable batteries work ](_URL_5_) 1. [ELI5: What is different about a rechargeable battery that allows it to be recharged, as apposed to a regular battery that cannot be. ](_URL_3_) 1. [ELI5: how come car batteries can be recharged but your average flashlight battery can not? ](_URL_0_)
How did it come to be that beer cans and bottles in Europe are typically 500ml, and in the US/Canada they're 355ml and 341ml, respectively?
America is dumb and hasn't switched to the correct measurement system like they should have 50 years ago. Source, am American
Why do Magic the Gathering cards have different prices and why do they change so often?
I don't play Magic so I could be completely wrong, but from what I understand there are new sets of cards/rules released every 3 months or so. With each release the strength and value of all the existing cards change. Also, particular deck builds sometimes rise and fall in popularity. So if a certain deck becomes popular one month then unpopular, that will change the value for all the cards in the deck and the cards you play against it.
Why can I search the whole internet in 0.58 sec but it takes over a minute to search a folder on my hard drive?
Google doesn't search the whole internet for you when you enter a query. It searches a massive high-availability database stored on Google servers. The database is created by webcrawling, an automated process that goes out and *actually* searches the web, but takes a lot longer than a regular Google search. On the other hand, when you search folders on your computer it usually has to *actually* search the files on your computer. The process can be sped up a bit if the files are cached, but it's still not the type of high-availability super database that Google uses.
When MMA fighters do choke holds people pass out but strangulation is silent way to kill someone. Where is the threshold between making someone pass out and killing someone by physically cutting of their air supply.
Most martial arts chokes work by restricting blood flow, not air. The result is the same though, the victim passes out because the brain isn't getting oxygen. The brain can survive up to ten minutes without oxygen, but after 3-4 severe damage is likely. Luckily for sport purposes unconsciousness usually occurs in 15 seconds or so. Which means you can choke a person out without causing real harm.
Why doesn't ground beef need to be cooked well done anymore?
The process of industrially grinding meat introduces bacteria, hence the need to cook it. The middle of steak hasn't been exposed to bacteria, so you don't need to cook it. Restaurants that serve burgers medium grind the meat themselves in sanitary conditions, so there is no need to cook it the entire way through.
How would raising the minimum wage to $10.10 affect workers who already make $10-13 an hour?
When my girlfriend had been working at pizza hut for approximately 4 years. she had earned a $2 raise putting her at $10/h (this was due to her being promoted to a manager position. Then the minimum wage went up from $8/h to $10/h. Suddenly she was making the same amount as the brand new employees. Pizza hut refused to give her a comparative raise for 6 months. she quit after that along with everybody else who worked higher than entry level. worked at pizza hut and minimum wage went up
How come you can tell someone's height without any point of reference?
Because we use the height of their head from chin to top as a means to then calculate roughly how many of their heads will stack up to their height. Depending on how many we count determines roughly how tall they are to us in the picture.
why aren't the arrow keys on the left of the keyboard?
Because the current keyboard layout was developed before the mouse, let alone before modern first-person shooters. Lots of people use computers for things other than games as well. To add, even if the direction keys *were* on the other side, most gamers would still use WSAD or something similar because of the number of extra keys in close proximity.
Why don't cities plant fruitbearing trees on publicly owned streets instead of purely ornamental trees we typically see?
Because the uneaten fruit would fall off and rot. Anything not eaten or removed would bring rodents and pests. Most fruit bearing trees also require a pretty hefty amount of tending to, as well. Also, to be honest, I really wouldn't want to eat a fruit that's grown off of a public tree like that, I imagine it'd need a LOT of washing
Why do the largest US cities have the poorest public school programs?
There have been a few pockets of uncivil comments in this thread that have been removed. Please follow the rules and keep it civil and be respectful or the thread will be locked.
Can someone explain XOR to me? It means exclusive OR normally in coding.
To satisfy AND, you have to have both of the criteria. To satisfy OR you need AT LEAST one of the criteria, but for XOR you need to satisfy EXACTLY one of the criteria and can't have both. A simple example: Joe is male and 25, Bob is male and 30, Anne is female and 25. If we search for people who are "male AND 25" we will only get Joe. If we search for "male OR 25" then we will get all three people. If we search "male XOR 25" we will get Bob and Anne, but we won't get Joe because he satisfies both of the criteria.
How are generations, Baby Boom, Lost, Gen X decided?
It is just pop culture. Gen X came from a Douglas Coupland book that provided a good description of people's attitude at the time. Since then less creative people have tried to use Gen Y, Gen Z, etc. Pepsi tried Generation Next. I have heard the internet generation, saw a camera commercial trying to make it the image generation. So far Millennials seems to be the most popular option. Edit: spelling of author's name.
What makes gravity 'go'?
We don't know yet. Science hasn't worked out the mechanism by which an increase in mass affects other objects. Yet. We know lots about how gravity behaves, obviously, but not enough about how it actually works. --- edit: this thread has turned into a farce, congrats for shit-posting all over the place /u/RobusEtCeleritas
If the President of the United States wants to barbecue while in office, where does he do it?
Most likely the third floor promenade, outside the Sun Room [_URL_0_](_URL_0_)
Why do we decorate Christmas trees?
Decorating a pine tree with shiny ornaments isnt a Christian thing. It's a Pagan cultural thing to celebrate the winter solstice by decorating the home with evergreen clippings. When the Christians took over, they told the converting Pagans to keep on the traditions but just now it represents Christ.
Why does viewing porn tend to make people horny, but watching someone eat doesn't make people really hungry?
Clearly you've never watched *Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives* late at night.
Why do we continue drinking alcohol, when it continually causes problems for everyone?
Prohibition caused even more problems so they had to give the booze back. Meanwhile, special interests have been pressuring the government to control alternative intoxicants to protect their various interests for about a century which has led to so many other prohibitions. A lot of these other substances have smaller fan bases, thus making it difficult to reverse existing bans. Drug prohibition has led to much greater problems than that of alcohol and will likely be reformed soon.
When you cut something in half, why can't you simply put it back together? What once held it together that no longer can?
For metals, it's a fine layer of oxygen and nitrogen that separate them. If you cut the metals in half in a vacuum however, they will stick right back together.
Why do downloads often stop at 99% before finishing?
Three possible reasons: **1. File integrity verification:** Your computer performs an operation on the data you downloaded and compares the result to a checksum. If answer and checksum do not match, the data is corrupt. This is how your computer tells if your file's data is a completely correct copy. **2. Uncompressing:** Some optimised downloaders or protocols (usually modern ones) have built-in compression. Compression reduces file size and helps with download duration. However, to extract the raw file from a compressed one, it needs to be decompressed first. The 1% is decompressing: you may notice the 1% takes longer for bigger files. **3. Virus scan:** Modern browsers also have in-built virus scanning. The process is similar to file integrity verification, but your computer actively looks and matches for malicious code checksums.
A modern GPU has Billions of Transistors, how do they not break at the slightest shake?
For the same reason you can shake a book, or drop it off a 10 story building, and none of the words come loose from the page. The transistors in a CPU (or any solid state device) are printed directly on the substrate.
Why does fire always point up?
Hot air rises because it is less dense than cold air (Like how a helium balloon rises). The air in a flame is hotter than the surrounding air, so tries to rise. The flame rises with it until it cools enough to no longer glow. Then, it is just hot air rising some more!
Why doesn't solid material, when it breaks simply connect back together? What kept it together that is gone now?
As soon as you break molecules apart they immediately want to stick to something, and they'll take anything that fits. For example diamonds are actually covered with a layer of hydrogen atoms, as soon as you break diamond apart the parts will immediately cover themselves with hydrogen from the air (when you touch diamond you're actually touching hydrogen not carbon). With metals it's generally oxygen that sticks to the surface (called oxides). This means that if you break something apart and try to fit it back together the molecules have already stuck to other things so don't want to stick back together, like how when scotch tape gets covered in fluff it doesn't stick any more. As other posters have mentioned if you break things apart in a perfect vacuum because there are no other molecules around you can actually push the parts back together and they'll stick.
How can the entire world be in debt?
Most *governments* are in debt to their *people*. For example, the United States is primarily in debt to American bondholders, from individuals to for-profit corporations and retirement funds. Only a portion of government debt in each country is held by other countries.
How are sinkholes repaired?
First they try to block off the route by which material was being eroded away (such as a hole at the bottom), and if possible, block the entry of water flow into the area. Then they literally just fill the hole with stuff, and cover it up. [Details here.](_URL_0_)
How do car keys wirelessly lock/unlock only your car?
They transmit a digital code which only your car responds to. They're actually rather more clever than that, because you could record this code and play it back to open a car that isn't yours - codegrabbing - so they change the code each time but in a sequence which the keyfob and the car know but which isn't obvious to others. The sensitivity is because the transmitter is shouting quite loud but only on a very narrow frequency. It doesn't do it very often or for very long, so the battery lasts a long time.
What exactly is a neutrino?
It's a kind of fundamental particle. Neutrinos are very small, even compared to most other fundamental particles. They have no electrical charge, so they don't *do* much—they kind of just speed through the universe (and your body). Every so often one of them will manage to get close enough to the nucleus of an atom that they can interact a bit, and that gives off some light we can detect.
How did cavemen eat fresh meat and fruit, had things such as fire available, knew how to fight, and had even some plant remedies, yet their lifespan was only of about 35 years?
That's the average lifespan, not the actual lifespan of any given person. Back then there was a very high amount of infant mortality - the very young died a lot. This brings down the average considerably. But for anyone back then who lived past say, 10 years old, there's a really good chance they'd make it to 50, 60 or even 70.
Why can't people just run away from a wildfire?
"Wildfires have a rapid forward rate of spread (FROS) when burning through dense, uninterrupted fuels. They can move as fast as 10.8 kilometres per hour (6.7 mph) in forests and 22 kilometres per hour (14 mph) in grasslands." Thats too fast to maintain for any reasonable amount of time. The fire can simply catch up with you. Also it changes directions very quicly and could end up encircling you. Running the other direction might simply happen too late. Your basically underestimating how confusing a wildfire can be and how fast it moves. They are massive fires covering large areas of land, its not as easy as outrunning an oversized campfire.
Why does my breath smell so bad in the mornings?
You're dehydrated, and mouth bacteria thrive in dryness. When you go to sleep, your salivary glands stop moistening your mouth, and these drier conditions allow bacteria to multiply, and in turn, start crapping everywhere. This is also why Mouthwash will make your breath smell nice at first, but make it smell like ass later: (nearly) all common types of mouthwash uses Alcohol to bind the its chemicals together, which will rapidly dry out your mouth on contact. Sure, it kills the germs, but it also sets the stage for them to make a whopping comeback.
Why are males naturally attractive without make-up?
Because we are conditioned to believe that girls need make up to be attractive, not to mention that women have used make up for a long time creating a "norm"
So if Einsteins theory of GR toppled Newton's theory of gravity and its effect on matter, making it seem almost incorrect, why is it still being taught at school as basic fundamental physics?
Newton's theory was a very very good approximation. And it still is. It's not like the laws of physics have changed since then. General Relativity is probably wrong too. But it's an even better approximation than Newton's theory is. It's also more complicated, so if you don't need it then using it is a waste of time.
Why do people (Soldiers, Police, Government Agents) always seem to duck when approaching a helicopter?
Have you ever approached a helicopter with the blades still turning? The blade might be between 50-100cm above your head, but it's just a natural tendency to want to duck just in case. I call it The Highlander Reflex - you instinctively want to stop your head coming away from your body.
The Google stock drop. Why it happened, what it means, and what are the consequences.
Google failed to meet expectations for how much money they were going to earn this quarter. Now the stock has dropped. This could mean two things: 1. If this trend continues and they make even less money next quarter, you'd have a problem. Especially if you bought stock 2. This is a buying opportunity, and when they post better results next quarter, you can make some money.
Why have people freaked out so much that Valve+Bethesda wanted to take 75% of mod revenue, but not that Valve takes 30% from an indie game that someone entirely made themselves?
Honestly, part of it is mass hysteria (we all love to conform in someway) and part of it is this is the first time a lot of otherwise ignorant people have stopped and thought about the fairness of how Steam (and any online publishing company - looking at you, Google) goes abouts its business. Is 30% worth the publicity given by having it on a platform everyone uses? That is the real question.
What changed in the U.S. between 1820 and 1860 that led to an inability to compromise and the civil war?
The northern states started to develop a somewhat modern industrial sociery, so being paid for their work was all that a lot of people had. They thus became unwilling to *compromise* over slavery; the concept of owning people and not paying them for their work was just horribly offensive. The southern states could never give up slavery, because slaves were the basis of their entire economy. So when they started to be scared that the northern states would end slavery, they rebelled.
Why is Planned Parenthood allowed to endorse candidates for political office?
The political activities aren't handled by PP itself, but by an affiliated 501(c)4 organization that is permitted to participate in political advocacy. The organization doing the political work isn't the organization getting the tax funding.
ELI 5: why does my iPhone get slower each time a new iPhone or software update comes out?
Because each new update uses more and more power that your phone does not have. They do this A: to advance technology and compete with other companies and B: to make you feel like your phone is slow so you go buy another
. Why are batteries put into devices facing opposite directions? Why aren't they facing the same direction?
It's easier to make a series circuit when the opposite poles are right next to each other. Less circuitry required.
What's inside public commercial electric vehicle DC fast charger (50kW < ) that makes it cost $30k or more?
A rectifier and DC power supply rated for 50+KW. That's a rather high power piece of kit, you can't make it with Radio Shack diodes. That device consumes twice the power needed to trip the mains breaker on your house.
How did the first person to interact with a new language go about learning / interpreting that language?
To put it simply I imagine it happened through immersion like [this scene from The 13th Warrior](_URL_0_) or the way it's portrayed in any other movie: pick up object and say what it is slowly, then the person whose language you're struggling to learn says their word for it, then mimic what they said, repeat until fluent.
How cutting/slicing works atomically?
...If you split an atom, you'd get a fission bomb. (What blew up Hiroshima). Interestingly enough though, Atom comes from the Greek meaning 'impossible to cut'...because of people thinking about this question in exactly the same manner. Easy answer: There are two kinds of cutting, sharp and serrated cuts. Sharp are pure pressure and split the object into two masses; while serrated (with a steak knife or a saw) cuts by removing a lot of matter and creating a gap. ...that's the best I can do.
why no pork in fast food?
Just show up for breakfast. In the US, pork absolutely dominates the breakfast meat market. Just go to your favorite fast food restaurant, and see how many pork options there are at breakfast. You'll find few, if any, chicken or beef options.
how do bottle return centers make money when wherever you go, you only get 5 cents for them?
They don't. Customers pay the 5 cent (or 10 cent, if you live in Michigan) deposit when they buy the bottled/canned beverage in the first place. When they return the bottles, they're getting their deposit back. Also, it's the law.
What is the difference between 2.4ghz and 5ghz on a dual-band wifi router?
At a basic level use 2.4 for when you're far away from the router (sacrifice speed for distance) and use 5 for when you're close (sacrifice distance for speed). Multiple devices can connect on each band without interference. The only time I've seen bad interference is at a trade show when hundred of access points all try to run simultaniously essentially stomping on each other's signals such that no one could connect to anything. It was funny.
"Save water, Save life?." How my saving little bit of water going to help, people in drought stricken area?
It isn't. If you live in an area with abundant water, you can use as much as you like. But you might not realize that you do live in an area without abundant water. Scientists and government officials monitor the 'water table', or how far you have to dig down to find water underground. In a lot of places, the water table has been slowly lowering for decades, and in these places there is a potential for future problems. If your community has been the subject of a state-sponsored campaign to reduce water use, you're probably in one of those areas where there's water now, but current use is slowly depleting the supply. By reducing your water use, you're going to help people in the drought-stricken area of your hometown in the future.
Why are the majority late night shows left leaning?
I don't know for sure, but I am guessing that it is because, like most entertainment, late night shows are based in large coastal cities which tend to be left leaning. Another thing is that it is easier to make a joke by mocking or being negative towards something. For that reason it is easier to make comedy against the party in power.
Why is Russia being considered a major threat to the west today?
Russia remains very large and very powerful (and with nukes) and a leadership that, as examplified by the incidents in Ukraine, is willing to use its military to expand and won't submit to international pressure. It's a very dangerous combination to western nations.
Why do some people feel carsickness? How does it occur?
Motion Sickness: Inner Ear: Guys, we're moving! Eyes: No, we're not. Skin: I'm not feeling any air motion. Inner Ear: Yes, we are. Eyes: You're a moron; we're not moving. Inner Ear: What are you, blind? We're totally moving. Eyes: WTF dude, we're clearly not moving. Inner Ear: YES, WE ARE. Eyes: FUCK YOU. NO WE'RE NOT! Inner Ear: Fite me. Eyes: Come at me, bro. Stomach: Guys... please stop...
Why dont cameras with circular lenses take circular photos?
Because the sensor is rectangular, the fact that the lens is due to manufacturing costs, the sensor inside is what determines the aspect ratio of the image, usually 4:3 or 3:2.
How is it cheaper to lobby a foreign government, permit and build 1400 miles of pipeline and assume risk and liability of it than for Canada to refine their own crude?
Because Canada has little to no refining capacity as it is. Also, the tar sands where they extract their oil is in Northern Alberta which is pretty much in the middle of nowhere. For Canada to develop their capacity they would need to build their own pipeline to a coast and then build their own refineries. So why would Canada want to spend billions of dollars to develop their own infrastructure when they can get their neighbors to pay for a pipeline to the most advanced refineries in the world? All the while Canada rakes in money hand-over-fist (pre-Saudi oil dump.)
When archeologists dig deeper into the ground to uncover buildings and objects from the past, what is burring/building on top of them to put them so deep? Where is all of this earth coming from?
It depends on the location and environment. If the site was an ancient village or town that was abandoned and left to the environment, then over time nature would reclaim it. Anything that wasn't quickly degradable would be covered up by dirt, plants, grass, trees. Wind and water can easily build up dirt and engulfing the rest that remains. If a building is left to its own demise and no upkeep, nature will claim it back relatively quickly in time. If the site (ancient city) is still in use today, over time new buildings were built over original sites. It was easier to cover old buildings then tearing them completely down and hauling away the debris.
Why do humans have to chew their food so thoroughly when many other animals can just gulp down their dinner?
Carnivores vs omnivores/herbivores. Cows not only chew more than we do, they regurgitate and chew their food *again*. Vegetable matter requires mastication to increase surface area and release nutrients. Protein and fat, cartilage, tendon, etc. don't have cell walls so they basically dissolve in the acidic environment of the stomach. Bacteria in the intestines help digest as well, for all eaters.
Do Islamic women also believe in the notion of having 72 virgins in heaven?
That's still being disputed among those of the Islamic faith, with some attributing it to a bad translation. Shia Islam doesn't even include the controversial hadith that mentions 72 "virgins".
Is Antarctica stuck at the south pole?
The antartic tectonic plate is generally rotating slightly towards the east and moving towards the Atlantic Ocean. I don't know the answer to your mantle convection question. However it is possible that eventually (geologically speaking so we're talking potentially billions of years) antartica could move between Africa and South America, becoming temperate again. Link below is to a recent paper on the Bement of the antartic plate. It's mostly dry but has some interesting plots of velocities of the different parts of the plate as well as those surrounding antartic. _URL_0_
How come solid butter is white, and melted butter is yellow?
Most solid butters I've seen have been yellow. But I believe that is because they add yellow colouring to it
What was so controversial about the Reagan administration?
He backed governments in Central America that did some bad things. They killed men, women, and children and buried them in mass graves. Reagan denied that such graves existed. Later it turned out they did exist.
The logic behind the phrase "I'll give you 3 guesses and the first two dont count?"
It's just an expression. It's meant to imply that the answer is so obvious that you'll only need one guess to get it right.
What exactly causes animals to sometimes go berserk on humans they have bonded with their whole life?
One of the big differences between "domesticated" and "wild" animals that we've bred into them is acceptance of the social order and relationships. For example dogs accept that you are the top dog when they are small, and you stay the top dog. Wolves don't have that bred into/out of them, so they will occasionally challenge your position or test themselves against it, and unlike an actual animal you aren't exactly going to be able to stand up to that challenge. This is doubly true for normally solitary animals; a tiger doesn't usually share its range easily with other tigers, so you trying to live in close contact with it is just asking for a challenge or conflict.
Why is keeping a cell phone in your pocket potentially harmful you?
Short Version: It's not Long Version: It's nooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooot. ELI5 Version: Your cellphone isn't harmful in the same way the skin doesn't melt off your face every time you microwave a burrito. The radiation isn't strong enough to be harmful. Your average ejaculate contains MILLIONS of sperm cells. Even if the radiation kills a couple, it won't make any difference. In a similar way, you are technically being burned to death every time you step outside by the suns radiation - It's just not strong enough to be noticeable or cause any damage for the most part.
Why can't water catch on fire?
the same reason carbon dioxide can't catch on fire: it's already fully burned. the oxygen in water is already joined to the two hydrogen atoms, and this is a very stable situation for the oxygen. so there's no free oxygen, which is one of the things you have to have to have a fire.
Why do skunks and cannabis seem to have a similar smell?
The chemicals that "give off" the smell you are noticing belong to a group called "terpenes". Various terpenes are found all throughout nature and are the reason you are reminded of one item's scent by the other. I would venture a guess that a skunk and "Skunk" share a common or similar terpene. Limonene, for example, is common to both Cannabis and the ordinary orange peel. Source: the last time this was asked
Besides being catchy, why do songs get stuck in our heads?
I've been told that songs we can relate to are ones we tend to favor. If we can think of ourselves as the subject in a song, we have a tendency to like it more.
How does Wi-Fi on an airplane work?
Either by using satellites, [here](_URL_2_) you can see one example of what an satellite antenna can look like, or an [air-to-ground](_URL_3_) cellular network that's built to provide internet connectivity for airplanes.
What would happen if all the members of the British Royal Family were killed and there was no heir to the throne
The line of succession is pretty fucking long. If they were all wiped out, we'd have far bigger things to worry about than who gets to rule Britain, we'd be dealing with a huge cataclysm.
How do CD players read CDs?
With a narrow laser beam pointed at the cd. If the light reflects back to the sensor, it's a 1, if the light gets reflected at a different angle away from the sensor, it's a 0.
No Child Left Behind
You dislike it for the wrong reasons. No Child Left Behind means that teachers' salaries depend on how their students preform on standardized tests. Obviously, this means that all good teachers migrate away from poor schools where their pay will be docked.
Why do America and the UK not use the same "main" painkiller? Aspirin vs Paracetamol
In the US (and Canada) Paracetamol is called Acetaminophen, which goes by the brand name Tylenol. Tylenol is in fact one of the top pain killers used. In addition to Acetaminophen, Ibuprofen (Advil), and Acetilsalicylic Acid (Aspirin) are probably the most common painkillers in North America.
Why is it that controlling your breathing helps to moderate pain?
It isn't the breathing, exactly. It's the focus. Focus on your breathing, it helps distract from focusing on your pain. I think it also helps keep you from hyperventilating and going into shock.
when it's hot out, why doesn't corn start turning into popcorn?
Popcorn pops because corn kernels contain a small amount of water. When the water is heated enough to boil, steam is produced, which increases the pressure within the kernel. When the pressure difference (between the corn kernel and the atmosphere) is high enough to rupture the kernel, it pops. Water boils at 100 Celsius at one atmosphere of pressure. Nowhere in the world where corn is grown does it even get close to 100 Celsius. (This is a slightly simplified version of what happens. There is also some oil inside the kernel, which will boil at a lower temperature. In general, popcorn kernels will pop at about 80 degrees Celsius.)
why does time seem to pass faster as I get older?
I've heard in the past that it's because it's relative. When you're ten, a year seems like forever because it's a tenth of your entire life. When you're fifty, a year seems like hardly any time at all because it's literally just a 50th of your entire life, etc
What causes bad morning breath?
Bacteria have had all night to multiply in your mouth without any water or food to wash away/dislodge them. Your mouth also dries out, especially if you breathe through your mouth, which further worsens it.
Why do toenails grow much slower than fingernails?
Two theories: Most of it has to do with blood supply. Your fingertips get more blood than your toes (this is why frostbite affects toes more easily than fingers). More blood means that the portion that produces the nail gets more nutrients so that it can produce more nail. This is also why in the summer, the higher temperatures makes your vessels swell slightly so nail growth is increased. Secondly, there is a "trauma" theory. Your dominant hand's nails grow faster than the nails on the other hand because the dominant hand is under more stress and strain. More impact on the nail makes your body think that the nail is in use so it regrows faster. Your toes are usually not under any of this "trauma" when they are covered in shoes and socks so they end up growing slower.
How does pain radiate from one part of the body to another?
Not every organ we have is innervated directly though the central nervous system, meaning it can't send pain signals to the brain. For example, your diaphragm doesn't have a way to make your brain realize there's something wrong, so it sends the the pain signal through the next branch it's connected to so the brain can receive the information. when your diaphragm hurts, you feel it in the top of your shoulders because the nerve patterns of those areas of your body are close. It's very confusing, and people often dismiss important pain signals because they think they are unrelated to the problem at hand.
What causes a cowlick?
It more so depends on your hair follicle. This is what determines which way the hair grows out of the scalp. So essentially cowlicks are tufts of hair where their follicles cause them to grow in such a fashion. Also, considering this is an internal thing, we can't change our follicles, so you can't really "fix" a cowlick. People will tell you you can train your hair, which is true, but only to a certain extent. Truly the only thing you can do is work with what you got and get some appropriate products and a knowledgeable hair dresser to help you work around it. I can talk more about your scalp if that didn't answer the question the extent to which you were looking. But that's the quick answer. TL:DR Your Hair follicles determine the growth direction of your hair which sometimes results in cowlicks.
How does digital clock work?
There is a special elements called a quartz. It is the same thing that beach sand is made of. It has a special property of converting different Energies. With pressure it turns into heat, with light it splits light, and with electricity it creates a vibration. Some quartz crystals make a very stable vibration. Imagine one of these quartz could do 1000 times the second perfectly. We learned how to measure that has had to turn that into a clock. You may be familiar with counting seconds as one one thousand or one alligator. Running electricity through a piece of quartz crystal splits one second into to one thousand beats per second. By making a device that can separate every 1000 beats we can create a stable clock.
Why is it substantially easier for me to drum my fingers from pinkie to thumb than thumb to pinkie?
Probably just because you haven't practised doing it one way but do practice the other way because you do it out of habit. I've never really thought can do it both ways without a problem, and if you tried for about a week you probably would be able to as well. I think this because I remember what it was like learning to play the guitar. When you begin playing moving your fingers in the correct way is incredibly difficult and it feels like you would never be able to do it, but then all of a sudden one day you realise that you can play all kinds of things without looking/thinking even though you once thought your fingers couldn't move like that.
How do they justify using government money to help build new sports stadiums?
decisions about money are often determined by whether or not the people making the decision think that decision will make other people spend more money on things they profit from. if enough people in city planning / government think a new stadium will bring more people to the city to spend money there, then they do it in the hopes that eventually the city will have a profit overall.
Why is queen Elizabeth also the queen of many independent sovereign nations (former colonies) ?
Because those countries have so far not decided to become republics. They are known as the Commonwealth Realms (note that is different from simply being a member of the Commonwealth of Nations). Many of Britain's colonies did not violently break away from the British Empire. It was a gradual transfer of power until the point they were independent countries. So there was no big overhaul of their constitutions post-independence, nor was there much anger towards Britain, hence they retained the monarchy. Many former colonies have become republics. And a few current Commonwealth Realms have stated their intent to become republics at some point in the future (Barbados and Jamaica I think). As they are independent countries, they are free to do that and the UK cannot stop them (nor would it want to).
Why does listening to people with certain types of accents sound pleasing (similar to an ASMR effect)?
Accents are produced by the vocal pallet being worked in different ways. Some accents fall onto deeper more bassey areas of the vocal pallet cresting a deeper resonant sound which can be quite nice and soothing. Other accents come up through the pallet and have a real tenor quality (think Canadians) You can think of it like singing different vocal sounds will produce a response in you based on your vocal tastes.
I pay a monthly fee for cable TV. Why are there commercial advertisements, and, more importantly, why are movies censored for language?
You may a monthly fee for the cable company to hook you up to their data-distribution network. Ads exist to pay for individual programs. And movies are censored because the channel that broadcasts them want to censor them. If it's not being broadcast over the air, they aren't *required* to censor them, but may choose to do to to maximize the size of their audience. If you want an analogy to the "paying for cable" vs "ads" thing, it's like the fact that you have to pay for an Internet connection, but you still also have to pay for things like some music streaming services or online game subscriptions.
Why does melted cheese taste different than plain cheese?
I believe it has something to do with the enzymes and proteins that are reorganized once introduced to a higher temperature.
How do global rules of war work? How does one enforce the rules while at war with another country? What would stop an opposing power from breaking these rules?
If you break the rules, you will be sanctioned. This makes it a lot harder to access the global market, making you poorer and less able to fight the war. If you lose the war then you may be tried in a court for war crimes and imprisoned. Alternatively, the enemy may start to commit war crimes against you and your soldiers become scared and demoralized and become a less effective fighting force.
Why does the ISS not spin to create artificial gravity?
One of the points of the ISS is being able to do experiments in zero gravity. A spinning station would defeat that purpose. But also, complexity. More complexity equals higher costs, and AFAIK the ISS already went over its budget as it is.
Why does the glass at the top of my car windscreen/windshield appear blue?
It appears blue because it is specifically tinted blue to keep the sun out of your eyes without significantly impacting visibility.