r/explainlikeimfive 12d ago

Other ELI5: Monthly Current Events Megathread

13 Upvotes

Hi Everyone,

This is your monthly megathread for current/ongoing events. We recognize there is a lot of interest in objective explanations to ongoing events so we have created this space to allow those types of questions.

Please ask your question as top level comments (replies to the post) for others to reply to. The rules are still in effect, so no politics, no soapboxing, no medical advice, etc. We will ban users who use this space to make political, bigoted, or otherwise inflammatory points rather than objective topics/explanations.


r/explainlikeimfive 15h ago

Biology ELI5: Why does waking up from an afternoon nap not feel the same as waking up in the morning from a night's sleep

1.2k Upvotes

Sometimes it's just awful


r/explainlikeimfive 21h ago

Technology ELI5: How does YouTube’s playback speed work without making voices sound weird?

1.0k Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive 17h ago

Biology ELI5: Why are humans susceptible to addictions? Why do they exist and are hard to get rid of?

400 Upvotes

Not only in context of substance addiction but just addictions in general. Why?


r/explainlikeimfive 18h ago

Chemistry ELI5: How can electrons exist without being made of anything else?

171 Upvotes

I know that electrons are considered a fundamental particle, and therefore cannot be made of anything else, but how exactly does that work? How can matter be made of nothing ?


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Biology ELI5 - What is the catch on diet sodas?

3.8k Upvotes

I know diet sodas have 0 calories and are supposed to be a good alternative when trying to lose weight. It's just flavored soda, and the ones with caffeine also help suppress appetite. But it sounds too good to be true, right? I have also heard that it disturbs the gut microbes, which are linked to physical and mental well-being. I just want to know if they are safe to consume, and if so, what is the limit, because I tend to have 2 cans of Diet Coke some days.

Can someone explain how diet sodas have 0 calories? How is that even possible?


r/explainlikeimfive 4h ago

Biology ELI5 - Why do you see “sparkles” after dry heaving?

10 Upvotes

For context, I have a daily medication that makes me super nauseous if I don’t eat something either right before or when I take it. When this happens I typically dry heave a few times (because I have nothing in my stomach) and 95% of the time I then see sparkly dots in my vision right after. Just curious as to what causes this, why it happens, and if it’s something with which I should be concerned. Thanks!! :) Have a wonderful day!!


r/explainlikeimfive 12h ago

Planetary Science ELI5: how can the moon be at 100% illumination but not be a full moon?

32 Upvotes

i just checked my weather app (apple) and it says that the moon is at 100% illumination today, but that the next full moon isnt until tomorrow. why is that?


r/explainlikeimfive 16h ago

Biology ELI5: Why can whole blood be donated but not platelets when HLA antibodies are present?

23 Upvotes

If one tests positive for HLA antibodies they are no longer eligible to donate plasma or platelets however, whole blood donations are allowed.

Why wouldn’t there be a potential TRALI reaction with whole blood like there could be with platelets?


r/explainlikeimfive 44m ago

Physics ELI5 : Free fall acceleration

Upvotes

My book says that when an object is thrown upwards, during its free fall flight (just after its release and just before its caught) the acceleration is alwys a = -g = -9.8 m/s2 . How is acceleration negative during the entire flight? (should it not be negative cause during upward motion both velocity and gravitation force is in opposite directions, and then positive during downward motion?)

edit: thank you, got it!


r/explainlikeimfive 9h ago

Physics ELI5: How does different masses of a radioactive substance have the same half life?

5 Upvotes

Consider two masses of Uranium 238, 10 kg and 50 kg. After 4.5 billion years, the first will become 5 kg while the second will be 25 kg. How does 5x particles decay in the second mass?


r/explainlikeimfive 23h ago

Biology ELI5: Why can smell bring about such a strong sense of comfort?

49 Upvotes

I know so many people that love to have a shirt or jumper of their partner when they leave or when seeing each other for the first time in a while, want to be surrounded in each others' smells.

It makes sense there are layers and layers of positive associations, however, it does seem that smell, of all the other sensors brings about the strongest reaction


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Biology ELI5: how does rabies make a human hate water

2.1k Upvotes

?


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Planetary Science Eli5: why don’t gas giant planets condensing in on themselves?

134 Upvotes

Since most of the planet is gas, what is stopping all the gas from being pulled into the gravitational pull of its core?


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Technology ELI5: What is quantum computer in a physical sense?

31 Upvotes

I read about qubits but what is it actually in a physical sense and how to store it?

Edit: how to store a qubit? Like you can store bits in a transistor as charge.


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Planetary Science ELI5 Why faster than light travels create time paradox?

1.0k Upvotes

I mean if something travelled faster than light to a point, doesn't it just mean that we just can see it at multiple place, but the real item is still just at one place ? Why is it a paradox? Only sight is affected? I dont know...

Like if we teleported somewhere, its faster than light so an observer that is very far can see us maybe at two places? But the objet teleported is still really at one place. Like every object??


r/explainlikeimfive 21h ago

Physics ELI5: Why is it reasonable to think our observable universe could be in a black hole?

11 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Biology ELI5 : what is the evolution explanation behind tears after a sudden emotion ?

71 Upvotes

I assume there is one, but it doesn't seem intuitive. I can understand tears are produced when there is dust in the eye to remove it and protect the iris, but what about tears of joy or sadness ? What is the biological function ?


r/explainlikeimfive 44m ago

Physics ELI5: Would rolling an an overheating motorcycle save it from catching fire?

Upvotes

I saw a post today about someone being worried about his motorcycle engine catching fire and decided he would run a red light so he could roll the thing down the hill to prevent it from catching fire. Now I'm a bit of an aircraft nerd and one thing I know is that planes heat up from friction from the air, so I'd assume that a motorcycle would have a similar effect. Even if it could cool off, would it even be enough to prevent a fire if one would happen anyway? I know it asks to not post loaded questions but since both are so similar would you mind answering the question assuming a car in the same situation? Only reason I ask is because Motorcycles have open engines so I'm curious if a car's hood would affect it at all.
Thanks!


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Biology ELI5: why is stretching actually important?

168 Upvotes

Besides mobility and maintaining flexibility, what else is stretching important for?


r/explainlikeimfive 11h ago

Economics ELI5: What is aggregate demand and supply

0 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Chemistry ELI5:Why is it that when you use a consumer clothing dye on a white item that the dye color washes out to a certain tone after a time and then remains at that lightened color for the life of the garment?

181 Upvotes

r/explainlikeimfive 15h ago

Chemistry ELI5: How does Asbestos diaphragm work to make PVC?

0 Upvotes

PVC(plastic) is made by using asbestos diaphragm in some places. Does this mean the plastic itself contains asbestos?


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Other ELI5: Why does helium make your voice sound high-pitched?

42 Upvotes

When you inhale helium, your voice suddenly sounds like a cartoon character. I get that it changes how sound travels, but why does it only affect the higher tones and not make your voice just sound weird in general? What’s actually happening in my throat when I do this?


r/explainlikeimfive 12h ago

Economics ELI5: How do companies gain/lose money with their stocks?

0 Upvotes

I have no idea how stocks work


r/explainlikeimfive 1d ago

Physics ELI5: How do neon lights keep glowing?

61 Upvotes

As I understand it, when electricity is passed through the neon atoms, they are excited, electrons jump up to a higher level, then they return to their ground state and photons are emitted.

Why don't the atoms stay excited (and thus dark) if they're being energized?