[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
What are the efficiencies of different window coverings?

I have large windows facing south west which during the summer heat up my apartment dramatically.  After spending way too much time deciding which window covering to get I ended up going for white blinds with 2" slates.  They help greatly but I am curious which type of window covering would have been more efficient and how various types compare to others.

Does anyone understand the science behind window coverings for reflecting solar heat?

[Assistant]
if you want just a quick advice: stickytaping aluminium foil on the inside of at least half of the window works quite well (by experience of many students with west-facing windows in our dorm).

i tried to find a solution to similar problem before: given an isomat with aluminium foil on one side and black foam on the other, which side would be better to sit on to isolate your butt from cold ground. it turns out, that the problem isn't so easy to solve... the isolating properties should be different due to different thermal conductivity and thermal capacity of the materials, but at least using the first approximation calculation (the foam is absolutely black body and aluminium foil is absorbing nothing and reflecting 99% of heat) it doesn't seam to matter which side you sit on.

using the same approach to model the window and cover: window reflects ~80% (R_w ) of heat and the rest goes through. the cover _behind window_ reflects 90% (R_c) of heat back, absorbs remaining 10% and radiates it to both sides equally. hot air in between the cover and the window and the heat absorbed by the window glass are neglected... reflecting the heat there and back between the cover and the window in this setup reflects

R_w + (1-R_w)*[R_c*(1-R_w) + (1-R_w)*0.5*(1-R_c)] + (1-R_w)*{R_w*[...]} + (1-R_w)*{R_w^2*[...]} + ...

of the incoming heat back outside. for given numbers, 99% of the incoming heat is reflected back outside by the window and the cover. the above expression depends on reflective properties of the cover lineary with constant term for properties of the window. **this is just a complicated way of saying that the more reflecting and less-heat absorbing cover you have (behind the window), the better** (hence, alufoil with no space for the neglected air). it also says, that the properties of the window have much bigger impact on your heat comfort than the covers.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: what's the difference between fiberglass, kevlar, and carbon fiber and what makes them so strong?

[Assistant]
they all have the same basic idea, which is bonding lots of fibres together with some form of plastic to create a material which is much stronger than the individual components. Fibreglass is one of many different types of GRP (glass reinforced plastic). Take a fibreglass canoe. If it was just the plastic 'matrix' material, it would be quite weak and would break easily, but is great for moulding and will take impacts much better than glass, which tends to shatter. By  incorporating glass fibres, the material is made much stronger, but because the plastic is holding all the fibres together, the mixture doesn't shatter as easily as glass.

It works with pretty much any fibre and plastic-like material. You even see the basic principle in steel reinforced concrete, where steel bars are incorporated into concrete to enhance its strength.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Dora the explorer] How come Swiper can be stopped from stealing something just by someone saying, "Swiper, no swiping!" three times?

Seems like an awfully specific mental tick.

[Assistant]
He's a good guy, he's just hard headed. You've certainly met people like that in your average life, who no matter what you say have to be told a million times for them to get it.

He literally doesn't see what a douche he's being in taking their things, that's why after they get through to him finally, he's so bummed about it.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DC/Marvel] When you sit down for your first day in a physics class, what does the teacher tell you about the value or truth of what you will be learning?

And I'm not talking some special genius institute run by secret agencies or one of the world's smartest men. Just a regular physics/science class at a regular college teaching normal people how to be the electrical engineers or nuclear physicists of tomorrow. I mean, teaching out of the same old physics textbooks must be a tough gig. You can play the "Thor's an alien, not a god" card at first, but there are guys running around like Dr. Fate, Zauriel, Mr. Mxyzptlk, Scarlet Witch  public figures battling on national TV whose very existence calls the basic foundations of science into question.

How do regular teachers answer those kind of questions and objections from regular students?

[Assistant]
You know how, sometimes in high school, if you ask a question that's too advanced for your teacher to answer, then he or she will say something like, "That's not something we can cover in this class, but if you're interested in it you can research it on your own, or maybe even major in it in college"?  Sort of like if you tried to ask a question about the equations that prove general relativity in a basic physics class.  Your teacher would probably be impressed with your knowledge and initiative, but would not be able to cover the topic to a sufficient level of depth or rigor in a high school physics lesson.  Heck, your physics teacher might not even know enough about the math behind general relativity to give you the answer you need.

Similar idea.  Physics classes in the Marvel or DC universe would cover the fundamental rules of physics, like mechanics and optics and electromagnetism and thermodynamics.  But some kid raises his hand and asks, "But what about Dr. Strange, he can make fire spout from his hands.  Doesn't that violate conservation of energy?" And the teacher would reply, "That's a good question, but it's not something we can cover in this class.  If you're interested in knowing more, you can research it on your own, or maybe even seek out the Ancient One and ask him."


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Batman] Which suit is more practical for Batman's stealth purposes? Blue and Grey or Black and Grey?

I've seen arguments made for both and personally I'm more a fan of his blue and grey look and hope to see it in a live action film someday.

[Assistant] Blue and grey would be better, unless the blue is a brighter shade. The darker shade allows you to better blend into darkness. Straight black could sometimes be "to dark" for the surrounding area and actually cause your silhouette to stand out.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] I've heard it said that Eastern Philosophy, particularly Confucianism, is different in respect to the individual than that of most Western philosophy. Can someone explain this?

[Assistant] One example that may explain what is meant by individualism of the west vs east could be in how ethical theories are expressed. Take which virtues are focused by, say, Plato and Aristotle, and then that of Confucius and Mencius. Plato focuses on virtues that involve oneself, such as courage or temperance, while Confucius would talk of virtue as involving others, such as filial piety or reciprocity.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Rick and Morty] Why, in Mortynight Run, does Rick says "Hold on to this. [...] If you lose it won't be able to get [your dad] back" when later it's shown that Jerry can leave at any time?

[Assistant]
The ticket works like a coat check, or a valet parking ticket.  If Morty shows up without it, the clerk won't be able to tell which Jerry originally arrived with Morty.  He might get \*a\* Jerry back, but it wouldn't likely be his Dad.

Also, the clerk is *supposed* to stop people from claiming other people's Jerrys, but let's be honest: That dude is not paid enough to try and fight Rick & Morty if they decide to press the issue.  He knows damn well that's a good way to get your organs emancipated.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Warhammer 40k] So let's say the worst has happened and the main Tyranid Hive Swarm has reached Holy Terra. How long can the defenses hold before they're consumed?

Let's have two scenarios, in the first one somehow the Genestealer Cult actually grew big enough to sabotage some defenses and effectively makes it easier for the Swarm to invade. Second one no cult uprising ever happens, they just wake up one day with the Hive Swarm coming in. How fucked is the Imperium?

[Assistant]
Of course it would depend on what you mean by a Tyranid Hive Swarm. Hive Fleets like Leviathan or Behemoth though a great threat in the Milky Way Galaxy, are merely a scouting party of the potentially much much larger Tyranid Swarm outside of it.

If you mean the Tyranids as a whole, Terra has no chance.

If you mean something like a Hive Fleet like Behemoth or Leviathan, it is unlikely that Holy Terra would be taken. MaCragge has a fraction of Terra's defenses and it held against Hive Fleet Behemoth.

The Tyranids' Shadow of in the Warp which blocks communications with outside systems is much less effective, because most planets in the Imperium pays some sort of tribute to Holy Terra, word of a Tyranid invasion on Holy Terra will quickly spread to other systems in the Imperium.

Holy Terra also has many powerful factions in the Solar System:

* The Headquarters of the Grey Knights, based on Titan.
* The Headquarters of the Ordo Malleus, based on Saturn.
* The Headquarters of the Adeptus Mechanicus, based on Mars.
* The Custodes who guard the Emperor, call Terra their home.

On top of these, Terra's Moon, Luna is a giant space cannon. There is a massive Imperial Shipyard on Jupiter, as well as another massive Shipyard belonging to the Mechanicus on it's moons. Much of Terra's fortifications that were built by Rogal Dorn himself remain mostly intact.

Regarding sabotage by the genestealers, there would have to be massive systemic failure from multiple organizations for the genestealer cults to have a significant impact on its planetary defenses. There have been genestealer cults on Terra before but they are quickly quarantined and purged by the Inquisition. But even if it were the case, Terra just has too many powerful organizations on the planet itself and within its solar system for genestealers to cause significant damage.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [ELI5] how does drinking alcohol affect digestion?

[Assistant]
You don't absorb anything in your stomach, its a pouch that dissolve things into a liquid that is then absorbed in the intestine.

Intestines absorbs the liquid through many many small capillaries on the surface.

As it turn out, alcohol irritates and inflames your intestine. And in turn reduces the ability for it to absorb nutrients. w/e you cant absorb gets send down as waste. Which is why heavy alcohol drinking leads to digestion issues.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Lovecraft] How did those cosmic horrors get that powerful?

I mean, the entire point of the series is that lower races (such as us) are puny and insignificant. But wouldn't those other cosmic beings have had to have once been puny and insignificant until ascending?

[Assistant]
Nope. They simply began at a higher state than we are. The Yith are the only real example of a race which rose to relative power, but even they pale in comparison to the Great Old Ones and the Elder Things.

They simply were born better than we can ever hope to achieve.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Cmv: If you think metal is a subgenre of rock, there is no way you can say rock isn't a subgenre of blues

Yes, metal did originate from rock, and thus used to be considered a subgenre of it. However, the same happened with rock and blues.

Yet rock hasn't been considered a subgenre of blues for a long time. That's because it has became so big and significant, developing it's own web of subgenres. It had to be separated. I would argue the same has happened to metal, and calling it rock is outdated.

Is there something I'm missing here, or are the people calling metal rock just living a couple decades behind?

[Assistant]
Metal was once considered a subgenre of rock - but rock was never a subgenre of the blues. Rock has some blues influence, but it was never a subtype.

Blues has a defining feature, namely the blues scale - 1, flat 3, 4, flat 5, 5, flat 7. Rock largely doesn't use this. Similarly, blues often uses "12 bar structure" whereas rock doesn't.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Why have we not come up with a better way of generating electricity?

[Assistant]
We have developed other ways, but they are more expensive up front and therefore see little investment.  For example thermoelectric generation gets power from a heat difference.  You see it in lots of weird places (from satellites to the smoke stacks of 18 wheelers) but it's too expensive for generating enough power for the whole populous.

Another part you seem to be missing is that the concept of a turbine from its most basic elements is the same, but the actual practice has been improved since the invention.  This is why new technologies have so much trouble keeping up.  For every advancement in new technologies, there is an advancement in turbines that makes them more efficient and raises the bar higher for the new techs.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Why are there no saltwater amphibians?

[Assistant]
There is one saltwater amphibian: the crab-eating frog. According to Wikipedia, adults can survive in water with up to 2.8% salinity, while tadpoles can survive in water with up to 3.9% salinity. For reference, the largest oceans average about 3.5% salinity.

The crab-eating frog has evolved some amazing kidneys that produce a lot of urea. This urea makes up a disproportionately high percentage of the frog's bodily fluids, allowing it to retain osmotic equilibrium with a saltwater environment. Without it, they would easily dehydrate from the salt.

The skin of amphibians is fairly permeable and has to stay moist. That's really what the problem is. Amphibians evolved in freshwater environments, and only one evolved a mechanism to tolerate salinity.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Mass Effect] Why did the council ignore Quarian requests for help wiping out the Geth?

Tali mentions during conversation that during the Morning War, the Quarians asked the council for help holding back the Geth, but their pleas went ignored.

But if the existence of hostile and self-aware AI units was so much of a concern to organic races that the Council forbade any race from developing it after the Morning War, then why didn't the Council send any of the powerful fleets under their influence to help the Quarians win that war?

Even if they thought the Quarians had it coming, or it was their own mess to clean up, why did they ignore the risk of letting a dangerous synthetics problem grow even more powerful and widespread, knowing full well that if it got out if control, the entire galaxy would be at risk?

[Assistant] No one on the Council wants to fight someone else's battle. All of the Council races are self serving and unwilling to stick their necks on the line to help the Quarians in a costly war with the Geth. No, they would just wait until the Quarians were wiped out or defeated and only make moves if their own interests were threatened.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why are dots and dashes the only acceptable non-alphabetical/numerical characters in usernames on social media sites and message boards?

Like is there any specific reason as to why other characters cannot be accepted, like an asterisk or a currency symbol?

[Assistant]
In programming, certain characters are reserved as special characters. These characters vary by programming language, so it's easiest to just prohibit all of them.

Why is this a problem? A lazy programmer might take the provided username and simply drop it right into their code. This means that a malicious user could create a username that intentionally makes the code do something it's not meant to do. This is called an "injection attack".

And there are plenty of good non-malicious reasons too. For instance, the $ symbol looks like a capital S, so that presents issues with readability and username forgery.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Chemistry] How would you convert energy from radioactive decay into electricity in a rover like curiosity?

[Assistant]
Through heat.

As the radioactive source decays it heats up. A temperature gradient can be turned into a voltage by a thermocouple. This voltage is actually quite substantial, generating far more electricity than the solar panels on Spirit and Opportunity, and powers the rover. The waste heat has the added benefit of being used to warm the rover's components, this is something that a solar powered rover would have to use it's, limited, electricity for.

It is not the first mission to use radioisotope thermoelectric power, the viking landers used it on mars and most deep space missions (voyager, cassini, pioneer, New Horizons) as solar panels become very ineffective as you move away from the Sun.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Okay, so does Free Software Foundation just expect us to give everything away for free? How do you make money on free software?

To start, I think what GNU and the Free Software Foundation does is amazing and important work, but, barring ideology and the likes, how do you expect to make money off of free software? Like, okay, so let's say I wrote a program. I want to sell it, but I want it to be free. How do I sell this thing that can essentially be spread legally for free?

[Assistant]
Remember -- free as in free speech, not free as in free beer. The mission of the FSF is to promote the expansion of practices for sharing. It is about enabling the investigation and modification of software by users, and ensuring proper attribution to the writers of software.

Let's say you are using the GPL license, which is their most restrictive.
You (and others) still have the right under that copyright definition to sell the software in whatever format you want for profit. You (and others) can sell services for helping with the software. You can run software as a service on top of the copyleft software. You can request donations. You can seek grants. You can sell ads on the project site.

There are many ways to make money that are not just the selling of software.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[DC] Does the actual construct of a Green Lantern matter?

Does he fly at different speeds if he constructs a hanglider vs a fighter jet?

Does him constructing a pistol vs a 50 Cal do different damage?

[Assistant]
It depends on the lantern and the limits of their imagination and will power.

For example its easier for Hal Jordan to imagine a jet fighter flying at super sonic speeds than it is to imagine a hanglider doing the same thing.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why light travel so fast, effortless and easy between places but for us to achieve theoretically that speed requires an enormous amount of energy.

Random question, Don't know if you guys can answer.

[Assistant]
Because light is massless. As an analogy for this, get yourself some rocks. Get a big rock you can barely push across the ground, one you can barely carry, one you can heft, and then a pebble.  How much energy would it take for you to get each of these moving at ten mph without any tools? The big rock would be mostly impossible. The one you can carry might be doable briefly, if you ran with it. The rock you can heft you can either Chuck to hit that speed or run with, and the pebble you can throw.

What you're seeing here is that as you reduce mass, things get easier to move. Well light has no mass, so it is essentially the easiest to move. This is a very simplified version of things, obviously.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: When a bomb from World War II gets discovered and needs to be defused, why did it take so long to find it, especially if it is in a populated area?

[Assistant] Typically these bombs fell from the sky and hit the ground very hard, ending up buried underground (if they didn't explode). Something got built over the top of them, with no one knowing there was a bomb under there. They're discovered when someone starts digging, for example to make a foundation for a new building, or to put in a new sewer line or subway.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How is war profitable

I was wondering this when I debated war with my brother who said, that at least war and tax money going to the us army is not wasted, since war is profitable.
But how is war profitable? The Iraq war cost 5 trillion dollars, which is more money than exists in the entire world. And the US military has an annual budget of 500 Billion, which is about switzerlands GPD.
So how can you possibly recuperate that much money? Because that is more money than oil could possibly be worth.
So how does the US military make its money back?

[Assistant]
War is profitable to specific people/institutions.  It comes with a commensurate loss by others (ex: taxpayers).

That money being spent goes to defense contractors like Blackwater, Lockheed Martin, McDonnell Douglas, and they get rich.  When government spends money, that money goes into the economy, usually boosting it because there's more money floating around.   Is there a lot of debt?  Yes.

War is costly for some and profitable for others.  The US military makes its money back by asking for more spending by the government into the defense budget.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why is it dangerous for one blood type to be given to another person with a different blood type?

[Assistant]
Because metaphors are so much fun, imagine every person's body as a war zone. The immune system recognizes some uniforms in their military. Perhaps if you have AB+ blood, they'll recognize those people wearing shirts with an A on them, some more with shirts with a B on them, a few blank civilian shirts, and the soldiers with Rh+ uniforms.

Your immune system is constantly working on creating and training new soldiers, but then an accident happens. Millions of their soldiers die out, and getting more soldiers(blood) from another base is the only way their army can survive. So optimally, they accept the new members into their team willingly.

But lets say your blood type is A-. Your army is expecting to see nothing but civilians and people wearing A uniforms. If an AB+ person's blood is donated into your body, there's suddenly millions of soldiers coming in, and for everyone with a blank or A uniform, there's another wearing B uniforms or Rh+ uniforms. The enemies.

Of course, your soldiers can't just let enemy forces take over their base, so they set up blockades and ambushes. They do everything they can to keep their army safe from the invaders, not knowing that the higher-ups cleared them into their military forces. So your A soldiers are fighting off all of the newcomers, sabotaging their own bases and country.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why do brownies get that lighter brown flake layer on top after you bake them?

[Assistant] Good question! What you're actually seeing on top of the brownie is a thin layer of meringue. Meringue is made by whipping up egg with sugar, but that flaky crust isn't quite the fluff you expect from a meringue. What's happening in the brownie is that some sugar is rising to the top and melting - forming a shiny surface - and the egg white is binding it all together into thin sheets.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Black Panther] If Eric Stevens (Killmonger) was raised in Wakanda after his father was killed, how would that affect the events of Black Panther?

What do you guys think?

[Assistant]
They just wouldn't have happened.

There is a lot of *if* in this situation but a coup with the threat of world-wide anarchy would not be one of them.

More than likely, T'Chaka would have been smart and be open about his brothers betrayal instead of hiding the truth, thus keeping Eric from developing a festering hatred and learn from his fathers mistake.

It's possible he would have still battled with T'Chala for the throne but if he won he probably would have still ruled as a fair king.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Why do colonies of insects such as ants or bees not suffer from inbreeding depression?

[Assistant] I don't know about other insects, but with honeybees, the virgin queen will go on mating flights.  While on the mating flight they intentionally fly a long way from the hive to ensure they're not mating with drones (males) from the same hive.  They'll then mate with multiple drones (which kills the drone) and store the sperm in an organ called the spermatheca.  The queen can then selectively release sperm to fertilize eggs throughout the rest of her life.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: In golf, why is it easier to curve the ball with a lower lofted club? And by extension why do most people hit it straight with wedges when they go all over the place with longer clubs?

[Assistant] Short answer: backspin. Higher lofted clubs produce far more backspin which stabilizes the ball in flight and affect its path. A 56 degree wedge for example, even with a negative aoa, is probably striking the ball at a 50 degree angle. A 5 degree open or closed face will cause a push or pull, but won't change the axis of rotation much. With lower loft, say a 9 degree driver, with a positive aoa, might strike the ball at only 12 or 13 degrees. The same open or closed face here will alter the axis of rotation significantly causing a slice or hook (or ideally an intentional fade or draw). You can still 'work' a short iron, you just need to exaggerate the face angle.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How is the soil replenished in farming fields.

I am wondering how the soil remains at a constant level in industrially farmed fields. I understand that a plant is growing into a big plant with crops. The matter that the plant consists of comes from the soil. When parts of these plants are removed for usage, that implies a matter deficit in this field. So, isn't the field supposed to recede with every harvest?

PS: I recently became a father and I took up gardening as a hobby, so that I have something that I can do with my kids. We are doing pretty well farming avocado seeds and lentil sprouts :)

[Assistant]
> The matter that the plant consists of comes from the soil.

**No it doesn't!** The matter which makes up the vast majority of the plant comes from the *air*. Carbon is extracted from CO2 and used to create things like sugars and fibers which make up the plant. If you carefully grow a plant inside a pot of dirt then you will see the pot steadily becoming heavier as mass is collected and added to the plant. Fertilizers can aid the growth of plants but it is not the source of the bulk of the material which they contain.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] So, plants grow against gravity, and towards light. What happens if a plant has light below it for it's growth process?

[Assistant]
Most seeds as they germinate don't react to light (though the presence of light may stimulate or inhibit germination, depending on the plant), so initially the effects of gravitropism will overshadow phototropism, with the radical growing down and the shoot upwards. As the shoot grows phototropism starts ramping up. The shoot may begin to hook to the side if the sole or strongest light source is coming from below. The extent of the bending would be dependent on how strong a response that type of plant exhibits.

This should be a pretty simple experiment. Many seeds germinate easily with just water. Get a petri dish (or a CD jewel case will work just as well) and place a few seeds (beans or corn kernels work well) near the middle, making sure to space them out. Cover with wet paper towels, enough so that when you close the case the seeds are pressed snugly between the towels and the plastic. Place upright over a light and observe.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[philosophy of math] I don't understand a specific argument made by ystein Linnebo and Frege in favor of realism and as a challenge for intuitionism/constructivism regarding mathematical truths before discovery

I'm having trouble with an argument in ystein Linnebo's book Philosophy of Mathematics.

As a challenge for people who hold the position that mathematical objects are mental constructions he advances the following argument:
> Some related problems would still remain, however. By making mathematics dependent on human thought, even if not on
individual acts thereof, we would still ascribe incorrect temporal  and modal properties to mathematical truths. As Frege famously
argued, all mathematical truths now known were true already
before we discovered them, indeed even before the existence of
the human species (cf. 1.3). This is why it is permissible to
apply mathematics, as we now have it, to theorize about not
only the present and future, but also the distant past. It is hard
to see how claims that were true even before the arrival of the
human species can be said to be dependent on human thought.

Especially in the case of constructivists, I don't see that at all.
To me that seems like he's applying presupposed notions of existence and truth (those of realism) to a position that holds entirely different notions of existence and truth, without adjusting anything.

One could simply respond: Yes, mathematicians *could* have constructed the same objects and truths before the person who became famous for doing so did it. And it *would* have had the same implications. But nobody *did*, therefore it wasn't a mathematical truth, there was no such thing.  The fact that we share our intuition with a lot of people and that other people could have made the same mental construction earlier doesn't imply that those constructions exist independent from our mind.

I guess I understand where he's coming from but without previously subscribing to some sort of realism, that argument just seems much weaker to me and imply far less than he apparently thinks it does. To take it as a strong argument for realism just seems to beg the question of mathematical truths and objects.

[Assistant]
Your response seems good to me.

In general you should be aware that realists often have trouble putting on their "anti-realist hats" and thus seeing things from that perspective. After all: the realist position necessarily logically conflates things that the anti-realist does not. So for people to misunderstand the position they're arguing against isn't a huge surprise.

Also while Linnebo seems to be arguing here against constructivists that is *not* Frege's opponent, because those positions mostly post-date him. Frege is arguing against psychologism, and although one can give a psychologistic constructivism, they needn't.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Archer] What the hell was in KENNY LOGGINS BRIEF CASE?! Plutoniom!? A human soul?! What! Someone tell me!

[Assistant]
Diamonds.

(Doylist answer: It's a reference to the briefcase from Pulp Fiction, which had something glowing in it that some theorized to be a human soul. That was just for effect, and was not in the script. What was in the original script, but was removed because they felt it had been done too much recently, was diamonds.)


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why do cats show their bellies in a show of trust, then mercilessly attack you when you try to pet them?

My cat always greets me at the door when I come home. She stretches out on her back and shows her belly, but DON'T YOU DARE TOUCH IT! It always seems to be an elaborate ruse in order to assault the bare flesh of my hand.

It's not just my cat, it's almost every cat I've come into contact with. My friends have had similar experiences. Reddit, ELI5: Why do cats show their bellies in a show of trust, then mercilessly attack you when you try to pet them?

[Assistant]
They're playing. Cats like to play with their food. If they wanted, they could pounce a mouse and rip its head off, but for them, it's like a game. A game not unlike that of serial killers or maniac rulers in literature (and some cases of real life).

So basically, cats are psychopaths.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[General Cyber Punk] I am the benevolent president of a Megacorp in a world ruled by similar Megacorps. What can I do to to make the world a better place?

Massive corporations rule the world. They are powerful enough to do whatever they want. They regularly commit atrocities and crimes because no one is able to stop them.

Their hired goons regularly wage war in the streets, they have massive influence over AI and the Internet and they regularly exploit the poor, using them for cruel, inhumane experiments.

Even worse, this all takes place on an Earth that has been seriously depleted of much of its resources, so hunger and disease are rampant among the lower classes.

I recently became an uber-powerful leader of a similar corporation that I started myself years ago, specializing in medicine, AI and cybernetics, weaponry, vehicles and food. Unlike my competitors, I want to do good in the world, not just make a profit and secure luxury for myself.

What should I do? How can I help?

Even more pressing, is there any way I can stop the abuses of my fellow companies without risking being assassinated by one of their assassin-bots?

[Assistant]
Pour your energy into AI development and quantum computing. Have your researchers pour their expertise into developing an AI for administrating over a large organization, with emphasis on maintaining the happiness, relative freedom, and health of all citizens within that organization. Then set it loose.

Either it forms a utopia, or kills us all. Either way, it's a lot better than eating cardboard under a megahighway while hiding from MegaCorp #4's rent enforcers.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[X-men] Let's say something happens that give 100% of the human population superpowers. Would prejudice versus mutants still exist?

The superpowers would be as varied and potentially weird as those found naturally in mutants, such as disfigured appearances, crazy limbs, visible stuff would be present, along with the usual assortment of psychic powers, flying brick powers, etc.

Would anyone really care anymore that superpowered threats exist, when literally everybody is superpowered?

[Assistant]
First, one has to put aside the strange ability to hate "mutants," but apparently that hate doesn't extend to green radioactive ogres, "gods," mad scientists, magicians, or the hundreds of other people who can cause just as much destruction, if not more, than mutants.

As for the hate, yes, people would continue to hate each other, just for slightly different reasons.

People with overt mutations could be hated for looking different. They'd also still be a "threat," in that if they can lob a car across the city, they can probably decide to punch your head off.

Then there are the covert mutations. That guy over there? He can read your mind, and put thoughts in your head. He'd probably be lynched in short order unless he's with a group offering protection.

Then there are the harmless mutants. These are ones that could, say, change the color of plants or make their skin light up. Unless they had other value to their communities or managed to not be too noticeable, they could easily become the target of re-directed hatred for the mutants that can't be attacked without getting yourself killed.

Those mutants considered "deformed" could attack the "normies" and vice-versa. Those who try to keep the peace would be seen as on one side or the other. From there, it's very easy to see conflict arising for the smallest of reasons, but now we have almost everyone with some kind of power to draw on.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Harry Potter] How does religion fit into the wizarding world?

I mean, for example, we all know the famous example of Jesus Christ turning water into wine, but in the wizarding world any teenager could do the same, with little to no hassle. What gives? Do the wizards even have a religion? If they do, how do they deal with the numerous contradictions (like the aforementioned example)?

[Assistant]
If some of them do practice Christianity (though that "suffer a witch" bit might be troubling), they probably wouldn't focus on Jesus's miracles (why wouldn't God have access to magic?) and focus more on the message and the idea of an afterlife.

Indeed, some of the more complicated magic deals with human souls, so if anything, they know humans are partially spiritual beings.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Star Trek Voyager] The crew crashed a lot of shuttles over the years yet the ship never ran out of shuttles despite having no way to replace them, what gives?

[Assistant]
Janeway lied. She told the crew that they couldn't replace what had been damaged not because it was literally true, but because she wanted to impress an atmosphere of careful restraint on the crew, especially since many of them weren't Starfleet. The fact is that by reducing replicator use through hydroponics to grow food, replicating shuttles piecemeal was possible. She had the replicators working full time to make torpedos and shuttlecraft.

Half of the crew figured out that Janeway was lying, but no one dared publicly contradict her statement that they couldn't be replacing shuttles.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Academics what are different research tools or programs that you wish people knew how to work?

I'm looking for jobs and I want to become better versed in research tools that are regularly used in labs and academia. What are tools that you find indispensable to work? (the field is biochemistry focusing on genetic and epigenetic research)

[Assistant]
Super generally...

* A reference manager (mendeley, zotero, bibtex, sente, pick your fave)

* A programming language (python, java, c++, R, again take your pick)

* LaTeX

There's others but they're department/discipline specific.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Is it possible to have a rectangle, that when divided in half vertically results in 2 rectangles with the same proportions of the bigger one?

[Assistant]
Yes, that's possible. You can derive what the proportions of such a rectangle should be.

Lets say that we have a rectangle with sides *a* and *b* (with *a* the length of the long edge). If you divide the rectangle in two, you end up with two rectangles each with dimensions *a* / 2 and *b*.

If *a* / 2 is the long edge of these new rectangles, then they certainly don't have the same proportions of the original one. So *a* / 2 has to be the short edge of the new rectangle.

The ratio of the length of the two sides the original rectangle is *a* / *b*, for the new one *b* / (*a* / 2) = 2 *b* / *a*.

We want both original and new ratios to be equal, so:

*a* / *b* = 2 *b* / *a*

Multiplying both sides by *a* and *b* yields:

*a*^2 = 2 *b*^2

or:

*a* = sqrt(2) *b*

So when the ratio between the two sides is the square root of 2, you get the desired property that cutting the rectangle in half results in two new rectangles with the same ratio.

Note that many paper formats use this ratio. The paper sizes denoted by A and B (e.g. A4) all have the sqrt(2) ratio. That means you can cut an A4 size paper in two and obtain two A5 sized pieces of paper.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why do we never hear about people getting sepsis from hemorrhoids or anal fissures?

Given the various bacteria in human fecal matter.

[Assistant]
Hemorrhoids are dilated veins in the rectum area. They are not ruptured or exposed directly to the gut flora as there will be skin barrier (endothelium/epithelium) separating the venous system from the rectum.

Anal fissures do have a break in the skin so there is a potential for infection, and likely there will be inflammation there. But, our body is fairly good at keeping the bacteria out of the body unless you have other disease processes like IBD, cancer, or previous infections.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why does water feel much colder in your mouth when chewing mint gum?

[Assistant]
The ingredient in mint gum that gives that cooling sensation is called Menthol.

The tongue can not tell the difference between Menthol and actual cold temperatures so that's why they feel the same.

As a side note, capsaicin (the active ingredient in spicy food) is why our mouths feel hot.  Again, because this chemical tricks our tongue into thinking, it's on fire.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Since it's possible to build antibodies through small levels of exposure, can humans become "immune" to salmonella from eating raw chicken?

[Assistant] Well... yes and no.  1) Raw chicken is a common breading ground for Salmonella however, without testing or cross contaminating each piece, not all raw chicken is guaranteed to carry it.  2) there are several groups of Salmonella with different proteins on their surfaces for antibodies to target.  IE: it would take a while and a lot of infections to create antibodies for each group 3) there are several THOUSAND serotypes of Salmonella with varying proteins on their surfaces... so this lowers your chances even MORE of acquiring antibodies for every variation of Salmonella.  But don't let me stop you, just stay near a toilet during your experiment and clear your schedule for the month.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Does being exposed to the common cold constantly like in a work environment strengthen your immune system?

[Assistant]
Yes and no.

While youre infected with the virus and your immune system is busy fighting it off, you are slightly more vulnerable to other bugs. When it resolves, your body will have made antibodies against the virus so that if you ever encounter it again, the symptoms you experience will be much milder, if you notice it at all.

Despite this, there are a great many variations of the virus that usually causes the common cold, and your body wont be able to recognize those that differ greatly from the one you were infected with (which is also the reason theres no vaccine for the common cold).

The best thing you can do is practice good hand hygiene (washing your hands often) and stay away from your sick coworkers!


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Can you submit an abstract to a conference that is identical to an abstract from your manuscript?

Here is the situation:
My supervisor wants me to submit some of my research to a conference that will also publish accepted abstracts in their affiliated journal. However, I have recently submitted a research article to another journal with the same abstract. Is this ok or is this against the rules?
In addition, is it ok to submit the same abstract to more than one conference?

[Assistant] People often do conference papers that are substantially the same as journal articles. But it's not particularly good form to leave the wording of the title and abstract the same. Just reword it so that it says the same thing in different words and give it a slightly different title. It's a meaningless distinction really but it means you'll be able to say that they're different pieces of work (even if they're about the same thing with basically the same conclusions). Otherwise you'll look lazy.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
If the Voyager 1 looks at the earth - what date does it see?

Since Voyager 1 is the farthest human made probe from earth - if it looks at the earth the light reflecting off us right now wouldn't have reached it yet, but what light would've?

[Assistant]
The light that left Earth about 18 hours and 6 minutes ago.

Distance to Voyager 1 is 130.62 Astronomical Units and it takes light 8 minutes and 19 seconds to travel 1 Astronomical Unit (mean distance between the Sun and Earth)


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
CMV: DFS sites like Fanduel are no different than the stock market and should not be banned

Sites like DraftKings and Fanduel are daily fantasy sports sites where you compile a team of players that you think will do well on any given day, and put your lineups against other players. These sites are being labeled as gambling games that require no skill and are being banned by a number of states. My question is, how are these sites any different from the stock market? Just like with athletes, all you can do with stocks is proper research and try to predict which stocks will perform well, there is no guarantee no matter how "skilled" you are. I don't see selections in the stock market being truly different from fantasy sports, both are left to complete chance, all you can do is research.  CMV.

Edit: Thank you to all who commented! I did not previously see the difference between a bet and an investment, and my view has definetly been changed.

[Assistant]
Though investing does look like gambling, there is a major difference. When you by stock, you're actually investing in a company. That company uses your money to finance projects, acquire assets, etc., that creates additional money. Depending if the project succeeds or fails, your investment might grow or shrink, but it's still an investment and not a gamble.

Betting on sports outcomes is nothing like that. Investing in a team would mean that you are paying for new equipment or new coaches or something with the promise that if the team wins you make some money back. But, that's not what sports betting is. The team doesn't see any benefit, only your shady bookie.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How to finish my MA thesis if it's the last thing I want to do?

Hi, let me start off by saying I'm really grateful for the coursework I've done for my MA and love my program, but writing over the summer has felt impossible. I'm in a PhD program (Social Sciences) and am contemplating leaving after I defend my MA thesis in the fall. I just have to get the thesis done and I can decide, but it is the last thing I want to do at any point. It takes me hours to write a paragraph, and it feels like pulling teeth. I need to be writing way faster to meet my deadlines than I am. And then I have to do the data analysis which will take even longer but I'm still trying to write my theory.

Any advice for how to finish this thesis even if I have trouble remembering why I'm writing it or feeling a personal connection to the topic?

[Assistant] Stop thinking about the work, and try to focus on the rewards for finishing this up! Sometimes, you just have to power through, so remember why you are doing this, and get it done. We believe in you, and we are all pulling for you, so you go, Doc!


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why do substances melt when heated while others solidify?

Eggs solidify when heated, cheese melts. Butter melts. Some substances can reliquify or resolidify but e.g. a solidified egg will stay solid.

Why is that?

[Assistant] When cooking eggs, you are denaturing long protein chains that are folded and curled up on themselves.  These separate 'balls' of protein suspended as a colloid in the waterborne medium of the egg acts as a liquid.  When heated, they no longer fold in on themselves and form a mat of crosslinked polymers which acts as a solid.  It is not a phase-change, like melting or freezing is.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why is HTTP/3 using UDP is more reliable than HTTP/2 (etc) using TCP?

[Assistant]
In theory it shouldn't be, or the difference should be very minimal. UDP packets add 8 bytes of overhead for the protocol which is mostly the "port" numbers, whereas TCP adds 20 for its reliability features on top of that. 12 bytes isn't too bad, and implementing your own reliability layer is going to cost at least some overhead in HTTP/3. So there shouldn't be much difference.

In practice, the historical details of how systems implemented TCP have not withstood the test of time or user patience. The general consensus was that if packets on the network aren't making it to its destination, there is congestion and the sender should slow down to avoid making the problem worse and relieve the pressure. Wireless (cellular, WiFi, etc) are rather ruining that and packet loss could be caused by anything, not necessarily warranting slowing down data rates. Furthermore network hardware buffers packets - how many varies by the hardware and how much it costs, but you don't usually want that happening. If buffers are big then latency (ping times) goes up, and if buffers are small then packet loss can occur when lots of data is moving through the network while TCP settles on its transmission rate.

Finally, TCP has a connection setup time which can slow down initial connections to web site. Throw in SSL encryption setup and your first visit to a web site slows down significantly compared to clicking links once you've already arrived. With a connectionless setup we can skip a few steps if we were to merge the replacement TCP connection setup and the SSL setup into the same steps.

HTTP/3 (using "Quic", the UDP layer) was intended to deal with some of these issues by making it smarter than TCP. Using lessons learned from above we can do better.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: What did Racoons do before becoming city dwellers, how did they adapt so well and learn so much?

Seriously though, how did a completely  wild, undomesticated animal become so good at scavenging in an urban environment?

They'd be breaking most instinct.

[Assistant]
>They'd be breaking most instinct.

They're acting *completely* in line with their instincts.

Racoons are smart, versatile omnivores (they'll eat meat, plants, bugs, whatever). Before people were around they'd hunt bugs, worms, sometimes birds, or rats, and eat nuts and fruit. They steal eggs out of nests and mostly lived around rivers, where they do that cool thing where they wash food with their teeny little racoon-hands.

They are one of those animals that have done pretty well in adapting to people and urbanisation. Foxes, (Australian) possums, and some monkeys have similarly used thier natural scavenger instincts and versatility to thrive in heavily populated areas.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Tron Legacy] What would have happened if Clus plan had succeeded?

So the end of the film is a race to prevent Clu from escaping into the real world. Except, what would have happened if he had done so? During his speech Clu says that no matter what they find they would spread and take over it all, but how? Could he reprogram people? Did he have some way of actually defeating any modern military that attacks him in retaliation?

Also, assuming he got out and was then defeated, what would be the fallout from the whole event?

[Assistant]
The machine in the real world can't break the laws of physics *that* egregiously. Mass appears to be conserved. Also, Clu's military is physically impossible.

The real issue is that Clu could have written himself (a close copy of Flynn anyway) into the real world and become a dictator or at least an asshole, stealing the mass Flynn is made out of. Thus, Flynn would have been permanently trapped anyway. Even if Clu had melted on arrival, the damage would be done.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [DC, Batman] I walk up to Two Face and ask him if he is going to kill himself, what happens now?

[Assistant]
He flips a coin. If it's heads, he'll kill you. If it's tails he'll simply beat you halfway to death. His mental state doesn't depend on other people, but his own internal conflicts. Most people, when faced with two options that are equal, will just randomly pick one or try to find how one may be slightly better than the other. Harvey can't make that decision by himself and relies on the coin to choose for him.

Normally, day to day decisions wouldn't bother him, like choosing to fight the Batman when confronted or killing someone if it's in his best interest. When it gets bad however, he may even forgo going to the bathroom if his coin doesn't land the right side up and end up soiling himself. But even in those circumstances, it's his own internal conflict rather than outside influences.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: What prevents me from acquiring a transmitter, and start to broadcast on any radio frequency that pleases me?

[Assistant] Physically, nothing. However, the fact that you're broadcasting a signal makes it relatively easy to work out where you're broadcasting it from and visit you to discuss your illegal unlicensed broadcasts.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Big Bang Theory] When Sheldon accidentally discovered an element wasn't it really the Chinese team that discovered it?

The Chinese team was the one who found it using Sheldon's calculations that were off. Then when Leonard proved it wrong he wasn't proving Sheldon wrong and taking away his achievement, it should have been the Chinese that were mad at Leonard. He even said the Chinese screwed up so it has nothing to do with Sheldon.

[Assistant] I think Sheldon predicted it, and the Chinese discovered it. Kind of like Einstein theorizing about the universe, and scientists later confirming he was correct. Einstein gets the glory, but few people probably know the names of scientists who first confirmed Einstein's theories.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How do messenger birds know where to go?

Edit: you see it all the time in GOT and other movies. I was watching crouching tiger last night and this dude sent a message with this massive falcon or eagle or whatever...HOW??? I can't even get my dogs to stop dry humping each other when the doorbell rings but these people in medieval and ancient times can teach birds to carry messages thousands of miles over days and weeks to someone just waiting there for them?

[Assistant]
The only real messenger birds are birds that are able to find their way back home, so it's possible to take them with you on a trip elsewhere, then send messages back home on the bird. It won't work in the other direction, however, nor can you send a message to any other random location besides "home".

The reason you see them all the time in GOT and movies is because those are fictional. That also explains the dragons.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Star Wars] How did the destruction of Alderaan not have any major political/social repercussions?

I would think that the destruction of an entire peaceful planet that had no weapons would provoke the general public into joining the Rebellion en masse, but by what we know of the battle of Hoth the rebels remained small and undersupplied for several years. How did the empire get away with such a brutal and unnecessarily devastating crime against nature?

[Assistant]
Well, for one, the Senate had been disbanded, so there wasn't a platform for any sort of political fallout.

As for social... The Empire had just shown not only the capacity, but the willingness to blow up an entire planet. Even if rumours of the Death Stars destruction managed to circulate, which is unlikely considering even during the days if the republic, interplanetary news from the galaxy at large was sparse outside of the Senate... Most people would be terrified that there were more.

Police you can evade. Exploding planets, not so much. Better to keep your head down and do what your told.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5 how come they say the bag may not inflate but yet oxygen is still flowing? What would cause the apparatus to work but not inflate the bag?

[Assistant] Basically, the mask is constantly feeding you oxygen, whether you are breathing it in or not. The bag is there to hold extra oxygen if you're not breathing it in as quickly as it's coming in. They mention that your bag may or may not fill (depending on how hard you're breathing) so you don't freak out and think you're going to suffocate if your bag is empty.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[GoT]Oberyn Martell kills the mountain and Tyrion is absolved, what changes?

Obery doesn't play around and just goes for the kill, wins the duel and Tyrion "wins" the trial, how does that change the rest of the series?

[Assistant]
Things become very tense in King's Landing. While legally, Tyrion would be innocent, very powerful people would still want him dead. He either returns to Casterly Rock or Oberyn offers to house him in Dorne.

Cersei refuses to accept the verdict and likely tries to hire assassins to kill Tyrion, but is reigned in by Tywin (you can't have family members killing each other). Eventually Cersei has an "accident" and tragically dies after one too many attempts on Tyrion's life.

With Tywin alive, the High Sparrow never comes to power, and is likely killed early on.

Oberyn uses his position on the Small Council to become closer to Tommen and Tywin and works against the Baratheon monarchy. Tywin tragically becomes ill and passes. With no other obvious choices, Oberyn is elevated to Hand of the King. Trystane and Myrcella wed shortly after this.

By this point Olenna and Margaery figure out what Oberyn is trying to do, but with no real evidence against him they are powerless to directly confront him.

Jaime never goes to Dorne. He refuses to leave Tommen's side after the recent deaths of Cersei and Tywin.

In Meereen, the death of Barristan Selmy and exile of Jorah Mormont hit Daenerys especially hard with no Tyrion arriving to council her. She is murdered by the Sons of the Harpy and Slaver's Bay devolves into chaos. Rhaegal and Viserion are either left to starve or killed. Drogon wanders Essos.

Oberyn and Doran, under the guise of Dorne's equal inheritance laws, make a play to place Trystane and Myrcella on the Iron Throne instead of Tommen due to her being older. The Reach and the Stormlands go to war with Dorne and the Westerlands, who have allied with the Martells under Tyrion's leadership. Tommen and Margaery are likely taken captive by Oberyn and the Tyrells are forced to submit. Tommen is allowed to remain Lord Paramount of the Stormlands with Margaery as his wife.

In the North, things largely remain the same. Stannis still dies fighting the Boltons, and Jon Snow is murdered, resurrected, and eventually retakes Winterfell, and is declared Kingindanorf and the Vale.

Arya murders the Freys. With Jaime and Bronn not arriving in the Riverlands, they are unable to successfully besiege Riverrun. The Blackfish takes control of the Riverlands when Edmure is likely killed. He likely declares for the North.

The Iron Islands are still driven off the mainland but are able to maintain independence. Euron still ascends to King, but with no "bachelorette" Queens, the Ironborn likely return to raiding the coasts of Westeros. With their armies and navies ravaged by the recent wars, the Iron Throne is unable to combat them.

After years of war, Westeros is in shambles and the ruling Martell dynasty is in control of only the Westerlands, Reach, Stormlands, Dorne, and the Crownlands. Plans are made to attempt to retake the lost territories, but with winter here, Small Council member Tyrion Lannister advises that the Realm is unable to sustain more years of war. There are light raids along the borders of the Riverlands but the Kingdom of the North, Vale, and Trident are allowed to remain independent for the time being.

Littlefinger is lost. With his entire primary power base now under the rule of a sovereign nation, and the Iron Throne being fought over by two completely different powers than when he left King's Landing, he tries to get the hell out of Dodge once Arya, Bran, Sansa, and Jon figure out what he had done in the past. He is still executed.

With the last dragon far away in Essos, the White Walkers are unable to cross the Wall. Tensions remain high within the Night's Watch and the North throughout that winter, but when it becomes clear that the Walkers are still trapped behind the Wall (with council from Bran Stark, the new Three-Eyed Raven), they ease. With all of the Free folk south of the Wall and the White Walkers unable to penetrate the Wall, the Night's Watch stops their rangings and begins solely attempting to maintain the Wall.

At the end of that winter, Westeros is able to maintain a steady peace. The South gives up on trying to reconquer the North, and Trystane and Myrcella rule well under the council of Oberyn, Doran, and Tyrion. The North thrives under the rule of Jon. The Free Folk are allowed to settle the Gift. Life is good.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How can we know that the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) is persistent throughout the universe?

* How can we tell that the radiation we detect is not just present in our immediate vicinity?
* Wouldn't we have to make sky survey measurements in interstellar space to be sure?

[Assistant]
Well, one could think that the microwave background is something local, but it would be akin to a scientific conspiracy theory.

We see it coming from every direction in the sky, and it is independent of stars or galaxies. We have a pretty good idea where it originated.

It is possible that super intelligent aliens are smartly irradiating us - and only us - with the microwave background from multiple nearby locations while avoiding detection by other means, but it's not a particularly logical assumption to make. The simplest assumption is that it is the blackbody radiation of the universe from the time when it was very young and hot, and it permeates all space.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: how come if I try and sleep under the covers I get too hot and oxygen starved and have to come out after a short period of time, but my dog can sleep under the covers all night long?

[Assistant]
Your dog's ancestors slept in a den or burrow, he is adapted to the stifling feeling and it may even bring him comfort.

This is also why dogs eat their own poo... if they are hiding in their den or rearing young and can't leave, it keeps the den clean and prevents smells that attract predators.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Marvel/DC] Who has more wealth? Tony Stark or Bruce Wayne?

[Assistant]
Usually (and more recently, definitely), Bruce is worth more than Tony. Wayne Corporation is a multinational conglomerate with large enough budgets that Bruce can build a massive space station and hide its cost in the R&D budget for WayneTech. Bruce's wealth is essentially unbreakable.

Tony's wealth bounces all over the place and he's lost his company several times, but through his keen mind (and help from others) he's built new multibillion dollar companies just off his name and quality of his tech alone, most recently in robotics and clean energy.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Harry Potter] What about East Asian, sub-Saharan etc. wizards for whom pronouncing Latin-based spells correctly might prove extremely difficult?

We know that pronunciation is extremely important in the *Harry Potter* world, with the famous "It's leviOHsa, not levioSA" speech, but that doesn't do a Japanese wizard any good when their language doesn't really have a "le" or a "vi" syllable.

Is there an in-universe reconciliation for this? Or do wizards from these cultures just need to suck it up and learn to talk like an Englishman?

[Assistant]
There are magical traditions from around the world and the "Western" tradition is just one of those. So these individuals would likely use spells from their own cultures, in their own languages.

If they wanted to learn spells at a school like Hogwarts, then they would likely just have to learn the proper pronunciation.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Does damage to lungs due to covid improve over time? Does the damage noticeably affect breathing or can it go unnoticed?

[Assistant] The jurys still out on this one. The disease is still only a year old, and not super-well understood. It might or it might not; and younger people might heal well within a year, but not-young and old people heal and scar at a much different rate.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5 how did people in medieval times measure time at night?

In any medieval tv show/movie, the characters will be waking each other up at different points in the night for their watch shifts. On waking up, could someone tell if they've been woken up at the right time? How would they know when to wake up the next one?

[Assistant]
Stars. Like the sun, the stars are "static" in the night sky while the earth rotates "under"them. Pick a star, track its position, and you have a relatively good timer.

Further, hourglasses and candle clocks existed too, so one could set an hourglass or have a candle specially designed to burn at a known rate such could be used to note the passage of time.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: What's the difference between 11:1 and 10:7 Compression Ratios?

In terms of motorcycles, provided the same engine size, and all other aspects are the same, what difference does a compression ratio of 11:1 make to a compression ratio of 10:7?

Why is the 11:1 more oriented for sport riders, whereas the 10:7 is more oriented for comfort riding?

EDIT: I just noticed my HUGE mistake, it actually reads as: 11.3:1 and 10.8:1, I don't know why I read those wrong!

[Assistant]
Compression ratio is the ratio of cylinder volume at bottom dead center and top dead center, or in other words: how compressed the air/fuel mixture gets inside the combustion chambers. Typically the higher the compression ratio the more power you can get out of an engine of a certain size.

The upside of a higher compression ratio is thus more power, but at the same time it requires a higher octane fuel to prevent engine knocking. Also engines with a higher compression ratio are under more stress while operating, leading possibly to faster wear.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How did the first computer get programmed?

How would they know what language to use? How would the computer know what to do with the programs?

[Assistant]
There were no languages. The first computer programs were made in binary, with programmers choosing each 0 or 1 to get the effect they want.

Naturally, some of the first computer programs ever made were compilers for programming languages, because flipping bits to get stuff done is a huge pain in the ass.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Romeo & Juliet] Say Romeo and Juliet do survive, what would be the effects of the Capulet and Montague families joining together?

[Assistant]
How do you think the blood feud got started in the first place?  A Montague married a Capulet and shenanigans ensued.

Romeo has shown how fickle he is, pining for Rosaline and an instant later falling head-over-heels in love with Juliet.  This trait would continue after marriage, with Romeo following the next pretty face into sin, besmirching Juliet's good name.

Hot heads like Tybalt would be only too eager to spill blood to avenge any perceived hurt.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: What are the advantages of pearls to the animals that make them?

[Assistant]
They're basically an immune response.

Oysters are filter feeders, meaning that they draw in water and eat whatevers floating in it. However, sometimes they'll catch a bit of rock or dirt too. If you ever see the inside of a oyster you'll see it's very soft and fleshy, which means that a sharp piece of rock could do real damage to it.

So, it coats the rock in the same material it uses to make it's shell. This smooths over the rock and makes it nice and round and less likely to damage the soft flesh of the oyster.

That we happen to find them pretty is entirely coincidental.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5; Why is dark skin selected for when youre in the sun a lot? Dark colors absorbs most visible light, while white reflects it. Is it different for UV light?

[Assistant]
Because the upper layer of skin is dead anyway. That dead layer of skin absorbs a lot more of the radiation from the Sun than it would if it was lightly colored, which helps protect the skin beneath it. This is white dark skin people don't get sunburn nearly as easily as fair-skinned people.

Darker-skinned people do technically absorb more heat from the Sun than lighter skin people, but compared to the amount of heat that the body is producing naturally through its own metabolic actions this difference is negligible.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[General] How do space faring races feel about uplifting other cultures?

It comes up a few times in Stargate, with the Asgard granting Earth non-weapons tech, and the SGC helping with medical aid and scientific advancement on occasion.

So how do various space cultures feel about accelerating the technology of a less advanced culture? What are the cut off points? What happens if they aren't human, or even humanoid? What technology are they willing and not willing to help with, weapons, science, medicine, agriculture?

Any and all universes welcome.

[Assistant] The Salarians are totally down for it....provided they can immediately send you running off to your death against an endless tide of space bugs. Oh, and don't go and get uppity, or they'll sterilize the shit out of you!


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Dungeons & Dragons] Why haven't the Inner Planes invaded and overrun the Prime Material?

All the Inner Planes have a good reason to invade, because the Prime has a huge amount of resources that are rare on each of the Inner Planes. Creatures from all of the Inner Planes are extremely powerful compared to creatures on the Prime, so it wouldn't a military problem. Travel is really easy because the Inner Planes are the third-closest planes to the Material (right behind the Shadow and Ethereal). So why are Lower Plane and Far Realm incursions more common than elemental?

[Assistant]
Because MOST Elemental entities aren't that bright. And those that are tend to spend more time trying to maintain their possition than expanding.

The Elemental Planes are barely contained chaos. They exist in a tenious equilibrium between each other that constantly forces the ruling powers of each to invade their neighbours and defend their holdings, lest one element rise above the others.

Any venture into the Prime Mateiral Plane comes at great risk, because while technically infinite, the power of each Elements expression is finite. If Fire invades, then Water gains an advantage in the struggle between the inner planes, and Fire's forces may not return in time to reestablish the ballance.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Star Trek voyager] why cant they copy the doctor and have 2 doctors ?

When they start using the mobile emitter, why are they transferring his program and not running two copies?

[Assistant] Ethical concerns, I'd assume. They're clearly *capable* of making a copy of the EMH (as shown in that one episode where they lose a backup copy that's found centuries later by an alien race) but possibly unwilling after they determine the Doctor has achieved sapience and recognize him as his own person and not just a simulacrum.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] How does a planet "dry up"?  Where does the moisture go and how does it leave?

[Assistant] Planets without a strong magnetic field are susceptible to having their atmosphere ripped off by the solar wind. As the atmospheric pressure drops, water on the surface boils, since lowering air pressure lowers boiling point. This replenishes the atmosphere to some extent, but this is then stripped in turn. You end up with planets made almost entirely of non-volatiles (usually rock).


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Batman] How do apparantly non of Batman's victims die from their beatings?

They're random mooks and he can chop down trees with his kicks. Even a normal punch to the head or stomach can kill someone, and what would happen if one of them did?

[Assistant]
That's exactly the reason why he spend 10+ years training. Every idiot can learn a set of reasonable lethal moves in a few months. A good punch to the hyoid bone will cause you to suffocate and you can learn it in 5 minutes.

Batman has an absolute and un-bendable NO KILLING policy and still he has to go up against sometimes even 20-30 opponents at once using powerful one punch-one kill moves would be easier but he doesn't do it he limits himself to non-lethal technics which is why he spend so much time mastering martial arts.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Marvel] How dangerous would Spider-Man be if he could wield Mjolnir?

[Assistant]
Dangerous is an interesting choice of word.

Mighty, sure. Hed be close to what he was during Acts of Vengeance, when he was also Captain Universe. Spidey fought Thor without the CapU power, and beat him with guile and speed. He beat Thor silly during Acts of Vengeance.

Any rate, Miguel OHara, Spider-Man 2099 was able to lift the Hammer, but the only benefit he got was immortality. No Thunder, no lightning, not very very frightening.

As to the danger of a Thor powered Peter Parker, we learned during Superior Spider-Man that Spidey regularly pulls his punches massively. So, he might get a juicing in the strength department. Hes already faster than Thor, but flight and range weapons improve his power considerably. Check him out when he was Captain Universe during Acts of Vengeance. But hes careful, so hes not dangerous to people around him.

Theres a Marvel Adventure (kinda like a what if) where the Enchantress gives him Thor like power. Might be of interest to you.

Any rate, Parker isnt worthy, so no need to worry about it. Got most of the skills, but feels remorse about people dying, which is apparently disqualifying.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: How do memory cards keep getting smaller with more storage space?

50 years ago memory cards were the size of cars and now we fit 1TB into out phones. How does this all work?

[Assistant]
Semiconductors are getting smaller and smaller as technology advanced.

Decades ago, memory was bulky mechanical devices but as we invented transistors and semiconductors, we were able to shrink the size of these components down from room sized to cabinet sized then down to desk sized and now even smaller.

The difficulty was being able to create on microscopic scales but as we've gotten better at that, we've been able to create things even smaller.

Up and coming tech is creating processing units on the 2 nanometer scale. (a human hair is 80,000-100,000 nanometers wide). This means we can fit a lot more transistors into a smaller space, shrinking the size and/or packing more into the same size as before.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why does a french horn need valves?

If the french horn pitch can be controlled by producing a faster or slower "buzz" with the lips, why do we then need the valves also to change the pitch? Could you not produce all 12 semitones and every note in between with just different buzzing speed?

[Assistant]
The way brass instruments work, is there are certain frequencies they are resonant with. This depends on the size and shape of the horn. You can "lip up/down" to bend notes, or get sounds close to whats resonant, but they tend not not come out quite as clearly as on-pitch tones.

The valves change the shape/length of the horn, which changes the resonant frequencies, aka the notes the horn produces. This is all the same with trumpets or any valved instrument.

Trombones use the slide to physically make the pipe that the air is going through longer/shorter. Valves basically do that same thing, but in discreet steps.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Marvel/MCU] Why is one of the Infinity Stones/Gems larger than the others?

[Assistant]
I assume you are referring to the tesseract?

That may not be it's actual form, it might be a tech developed to allow for safer harnessing of it's energies.

Or it's possible that being of sufficient power could change the shape of the stone, and that the tesseract simply hasn't been changed back.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How does playing dead help animals survive? Doesn't it just make them a more convenient meal for a predator? Why would an animal presume an attacker would just stop attacking and walk away?

[Assistant] some animals only eat what they killed.  because eating dead animals carries risk of disease.  and apparently they aren't smart enough to tell the difference between something playing dead vs being dead for a while.  or it could be due to the animal thinking that it belongs to another animal and they don't want to get into a fight over it.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How come chocolate chips will melt to mush if I hold them in a fist or leave them in a hot car, but retain their shape when baked in cookies in a hot oven?

[Assistant] Chocolate chips *would* melt in the oven...except they're surrounded by cookie dough, which keeps them in shape.  If you take chocolate chip cookies out of the oven and just barely touch a visible chip, it will immediately turn into a blorp.  By the time the cookies have cooled, though, the chips have also cooled and resolidified.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Is there such a thing as a mathematical discontinuity in nature?

I know that due to the existence of vacuums or near vacuums, material discontinuities can exist, but can a mathematical discontinuity exist as an observable, physical manifestation? One potential example I can imagine would be the singularity of a black hole, which  is a 4-dimensional asymptote as gravitational pull approaches infinity, but this is purely speculative since current methods have no way of proving the theory.

[Assistant] One example where discontinuities pop up in nature is phase transitions. Depending on the specific phase transition you're studying, you might find that things like the entropy, density, heat capacity, etc. are discontinuous across the transition.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Metal Gear Rising] How does Raiden's sword cut clear through things his sword is not near long enough to do so?

This happens a lot throughout the game, you slash your sword, which is roughly the length of the engine block through the front of the car, and it slices clean through to the back.

I imagine it goes without saying here, but please no "because Japan" type responses.

[Assistant] High frequency blades use vibration to part objects on a molecular level, through specific motion the operator of a blade can project the waves produced by the blade outward beyond the physical limitations of the blade itself making an invisible to the eye but none the less deadly projection of the forces used in the initial cutting action.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [MCU] At the beginning of Infinity war Thor claims that the Tesseract was destroyed with Asgard. Would Sufur actually be able to destroy the Infinity Stone during Ragnarok?

[Assistant] No. Surtur is extremely powerful but he's not aligned with the stone and thusly unable to affect it. Scarlet witch was only able to destory the mind stone because she was attuned to it and so much more powerful than anything else as we later learn.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Scientists of reddit- what are the most under-reported scientific findings in your opinion?

[Assistant]
The negative study.

Its been shown that there is a huge publication bias towards studies with positive findings or findings that confirm a hypothesis, despite the fact that negative studies are equally important and valid, they just make for less exciting publications. ( e.g if you drug looks like it works , it gets published. Showing a drug doesnt work gets less airtime. )

You end up with a biased publication database which neglects to provide the negative results of trials and investigations to counter balance all the positives.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Is currency of higher value "better" ?

Hello, I'm from Latvia and right now we're going through a process of adopting Euro, from Lats and I'm not sure how to feel about it, I've heard some articles saying that it's gonna be easier using Euro etc. and some are saying that we should stay with Lats, because it's 4th most valuable currency of Earth and we wouldn't be so dependent on EU, that for me sounds a lot better than just having Euros because it's "more convenient", because I think that if some huge banks mess up something in Italy that could affect economical situation in Latvia, right? I'm not sure, macroeconomics is not my thing.

So what do you think?

[Assistant]
>Is currency of higher value "better" ?

No. Economists would call the exchange range a "nominal" variable that has no real consequences at a point in time. eg. If the USD is only worth .5 Latvian dollars, then this is unimportant... what is important is how this ratio changes over time, (presumably) due to real factors.

If having a "valuable" currency in this sense were important, it'd be pretty easy for governments to just manipulate this figure by redenominating the currency. It'd also generate a weird positive feedback loop where demand for currency goes up with its nominal value, which would raise its real value, which would drive up its nominal value, etc. etc..


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why does it snow and not hailing when its freezing outside?

[Assistant]
Hail requires a pretty specific temperature in the atmosphere.

When it's cold, water begins to freeze.  This causes ice crystals to form.  These crystals stick together and form snowflakes.  Eventually, these become heavy enough that they fall from the sky.

Hail is a bit different.  For hail, a small raindrop begins to form.  This then begins to sink to a lower cloud level.  Here, the air is freezing, so the raindrop freezes.  But, because ice is less dense than water, the frozen drop can actually move back up to the warmer, wet layer of clouds.  Here, it collects more water, which makes it sink back down.  This water freezes, making it less dense so it floats back up.  The hailstone keeps going up and down between these layers of cloud, building up layers of ice like a gobstopper.  So, for hail to form, we need it to be just around freezing in the atmosphere.  Too cold, and that water layer doesn't exist.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
ELI5: Why do sharks, being predators, have eyes on their sides?

Most predator species like lions, bears, falcons, and even humans have their eyes on the front of their faces to help with hunting, while prey species like cows, rabbits, or chickens have their eyes on the sides. Why do sharks, a predatory species, not have eyes aimed forwards?

[Assistant] They eyes front for predators rule only seems to apply to land creatures. On land, the things that you need to see are usually near the ground. You don't need to be able to see what is directly above or below you. Fish do. Having eyes on the side of your head lets you see above and below much better than having your eyes on the front. Which is why almost all swimming aquatic animals have their eyes on the side of their heads.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[Spiderman] Is there ever a reason given as to why Aunt May and Uncle Ben never had children?

Has this ever been addressed? Why didn't Peter have any cousins? Was Aunt May or Uncle Ben sterile?

[Assistant]
Semi-Doyalist answer here, but there was one notable time Marvel did try to address this with its own story, and it was met with a not very positive reception.

In the early 00's Marvel published a monthly miniseries called "Trouble" which was a contrast to their usual stuff by being a romance/drama set in the 70's.

The story centered on two teen friends May and Mary, who worked at a resort over the summer, and meet two brothers Ben and Richard, who they romantically pair off with.

To not many people's surprise May and Ben turned out to be Aunt May and Uncle Ben, and Richards and Mary turned out to be Richard and Mary Parker.

The real twist of the story though was that Ben gets May pregnant, but May gives up the baby to Mary and Richard to raise as their own son, because her parents are crazy fundies who would disown her. Which means that Peter was May's biological son all along and ended up back with her eventually.

Marvel and readers pretended this story never happened pretty much as soon as it was written.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why does a lack of sleep give people bags under their eyes?

[Assistant] It's the extended strain on your facial muscles from having to keep your eyes open for longer than they normally should be open. Note: this isn't the *only* reason for eye bags/circles, it's also genetics, dehydration, allergies, and too much sodium.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: Why do I need to submit an odometer reading when renewing my license plates?

[Assistant] Two reasons. One is to make it harder to defraud a future buyer about the real mileage, which is closely tied to the real value of the vehicle. An ongoing record of mileage retained by regulators can easily refute any future reported figure that's inconsistent with that record. The other reason is taxation. As titled property, a vehicle is taxed based on its assessed value, which is also closely tied to its real mileage. Up-to-date mileage figures allow more accurate assessment. Think of it this way: When you report your mileage, you're *lowering your taxes*. Just be sure to be honest, because defrauding regulators does the opposite for your fiscal wellbeing, in spades.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] Eli5: Why are raisins considered a healthy snack for toddlers if they're mostly sugar?

[Assistant]
you're getting the same vitamins, minerals, and fiber as eating a grape, just with less moisture. They do not add sugar to raisins, so they have exactly the same amount of sugar as eating fresh gapes.

Not the most healthy thing one could feed a child  (easy to overindulge and consume too much sugar) but better than something with purely empty calories.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
Why galaxies are flat? Why there are no spherical galaxies but only disc shaped galaxies?

Gravity should be same in all 3 dimensions then why galaxys are flat , and we  don't see a sphere with a black hole at the centre and stars revolving around it around the whole sphere, why disc shape?

[Assistant]
There are spherical galaxies! We call them "ellipticals" though - they have a bit of angular momentum, so they tend to be somewhat "smushed" or "stretched" spheres.

There is nothing stopping stars from orbitting all over the place - and when disc galaxies merge, often the stars get so stirred up that it forms an elliptical galaxy in the end. However, stars tend to *form* in a disc. We only have disc galaxies because the stars are basically staying in the configuration they started with.

While stars can orbit any way, *gas* tends to form a disc. Stars almost never collide with other stars (except if they form together as a binary etc), but gas particles in space do actually collide with each other quite often. This means that you can't just orbit anywhere you want - the gas particles will bump into each other and lose energy. Eventually it settles down into the lowest energy configuration you can get while still conserving angular momentum - and that's a disc. The stars then form from the gas of this disc, and tend to stay roughly in a disc.

Over time, the stellar disc does stir itself up a bit, and ends up a bit thicker than the gas disc. Generally, we have a "thick disc" of older stars, a "thin disc" of younger stars, and a very thin disc of gas.

As a side note: the supermassive black hole isn't really important here, as far as gravity goes. The vast majority of the mass is in dark matter, stars, and gas. Stars orbit within their own shared gravitational potential - they aren't affected by the supermassive black hole unless they're basically right on top of it.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
How do X-rays penetrate materials?

Hello,
My understanding is that the lower the frequency, the longer the range. Ergo, radio waves can travel long and far despite obstacles in their way and high frequency visible light cant navigate obstacles.

Given that X-rays have higher frequency than visible light, how is it that they can travel through metal objects as well? Do X-rays not scatter according to Rayleighs law?

[Assistant]
Long wavelengths are like ocean waves that pass through the atoms, gently rocking them like buoys. Short wavelengths are like bullets, that either hit an atom (which is a small target) and knock off an electron, or more often just miss it completely and not even notice. So material tends to be somewhat transparent to long wavelength radio waves and short wavelength x-rays and gamma rays. (Although conducting materials can be quite opaque in the radio).

That said, x-rays actually *do* experience Rayleigh scattering in the atmosphere, which is why we only use them over short distances in x-ray machines. You can't build an x-ray telescope inside an atmosphere - we have to build them in space instead. This is particularly difficult because x-rays tend to penetrate mirrors rather than bounce off them, so you have to build a really long telescope that bounces the x-rays at a shallow angle. And you have to figure out how to get this big long thing into space - a few of the designs have expanded themselves in space, which is cool.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[General] Would AIs ever get pissed off over how long it would take for them to communicate with us compared to how fast they think? What other forms of communication could they use?

Just started watching "Her" and it took Samantha less than a second to read through hundreds of thousands of names and pick her own, but many times longer just to explain it to Theodore. Surely that must get annoying for her?

[Assistant] It's possible the AIs can do other things with the rest of their computational resources while also talking to humans. Marvin the Paranoid Android does this all the time (though it never brings him any happiness, just slightly reduced boredom and/or pain), and Culture Minds have been known to simulate universes in their spare time.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] What is the reason people arent supposed to eat very much after starving for a prolonged period?

[Assistant] The simplified answer is that if a starving person suddenly starts to eat too much, their body will begin trying to make glycogen, fat, & proteins. This process will absorb minerals such as potassium, magnesium, and phosphorus from the blood, but these minerals are also needed by the heart, lungs, and nervous system. If they eat too much too fast, they will substantially reduce the amount of these in their blood and it can kill them. If you feed them less than normal (but more than they had when starving) for a few days and then build them back up to a healthy caloric intake, they will absorb the minerals slower and this won't disrupt the other bodily functions as much, resulting in better patient outcomes.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] ELI5: How the experiments to test if our universe is a simulation work.

[Assistant]
You can't really test this. The universe as we know it does what it does; what's behind it has no bearing on anything we can measure from within.

People have put some arguments forward. Say, when we simulate a little part of the universe on our computers, our calculations aren't 100% exact. Things can snap to a fine grid and such. If you lived in a large version of that simulation, you could potentially measure those artifacts. Maybe even build a pretty good model implicating something looking like the simulation code. Maybe it's just what the 'real' universe does. Who knows. But if those artifacts seem arbitrary, as if to fit a computer, maybe that is in fact what's going on.

Another argument is that of simulated worlds being more numerous. It only takes one simulated universe per 'real' universe to be on par. There are likely to be more. Then if you are randomly dropped into one of the universes, it's more likely to be a simulated one because there are more of them.

In the end it's unknowable, though. All we see is our own universe, be it 'real' or simulated. We can only investigate how our universe works. Anything beyond it is speculation. How do you even determine what's real? This universe certainly is real to us no matter what.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User] [Mass Effect/Star Wars] Can Biotics be used to throw lighting? Would it be possible, using Mass Effect universe resources, to build a lightsaber?

[Assistant]
Throwing lightning wouldn't be accomplished with Biotics. It's like asking someone to throw lightning with a pneumatic cannon. The closest you could get would be an extremely insulated hardsuit and a man portable Tesla coil giving you highly limited range, poor accuracy and probably damaging whatever electronics you have on you.

As for a lightsaber, the closest you could get is probably some sort of plasma cutter. But more importantly why bother to make one? Long range is dominated by hypersonic projectiles which means you aren't going to be blocking anything and even if you could the great big plasma cutter will be using far more energy than a kinetic barrier for less protection. Maybe it has some utility in melee range but there are already options for that.


[System] Given the following post, respond as if you're commenting on Reddit:

[User]
[The Boys] Why did Vought create Homelander?

The supes are less superheroes and more glorified celebrities, so why the need for creating the ultimate superhuman? Wouldn't it be more beneficial for them to make someone with just flashy powers and then leave the actual important stuff to trained loyal supes?

[Assistant]
The endgame was military contracts, even back in the day.  To that end, they needed a way to consistently make better performing superheroes.

As we see in S3, your average supe back in the 70s couldn't stand up to military grade firepower.  Energy blasts are fancy looking, but they're not all that much better than a gun, or at best a rocket.  Even Soldier Boy was consistently portrayed as being a localized threat; useful but not game-changing compared to a tank.

 What Vought needed was nigh invulnerability, superspeed, superstrength, and flight.  Homelander possessed all four.  He could single-handedly dismantle an entire country, and would indeed be a valuable military asset if he weren't such a tool.