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

[User] Does the half-life of atoms change depending on the molecule they are in? So for example can the half-life of any uranium isotope be any different if it's bound in uranium fluoride or sth.?

[Assistant] Not meaningfully for most decay modes. Radioactive decay occurs in the nucleus which only impacts electron orbital levels on the hyperfine level and vice versa. This would be a miniscule impact as can be seen by comparing the hyperfine structure to the energy of nuclear decay. The exception to this would be the electron capture mode of decay where an electron must be available to fall into the nucleus.


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

[User]
I dont understand how AC electricity can make an arc. If AC electricity if just electrons oscillating, how are they jumping a gap? And where would they go to anyway if it just jump to a wire?

Woah thats a lot of upvotes.

[Assistant]
Imagine the electrons as a bunch of marbles (or ball-bearings) in a tube all touching each other.

You push one end, the other end moves almost instantly.  You push them back, they all move back instantly.  You're causing work to happen on everything that those marbles rub against.  That "work"/"friction" is what lights up the bulbs, power the cooker, etc.

Now generally speaking, it's not a tube, but in fact it's an entire sheet of marbles.  In fact, not even a sheet, a box of marbles.  It just so happens that, say, copper being a good conductor, means that all the marbles in the "air" don't move very much at all, because when you push, the marbles in the copper wire are the ones to move with the least effort (least resistance).  So even though every cubic nanometer of space is filled with tiny marbles of electrons, when you push them, the ones that actually move are the ones that aren't "stuck" to the others they are touching and offer the least resistance to movement.

In a copper wire, that means that the marbles that do move basically move like they are in a contained tube (with the boundaries of the tube being those electrons that are making the plastic covering, the air, whatever, which "resist" movement more).

If you push hard enough, though, even the ones in the air will eventually get moved along too.  Hence you get an arc through the air.  The bigger the arc gap, the harder you need to push (more voltage).  So lightning is millions of volts, but can clear an arc-gap hundreds of metres long.  It's pushing \*so\* hard that the electrons in the normally-quite-stiff air get moved and pushed along.  That's also why lightning/arcs change their pattern rapidly... they are literally moving along the path of least resistance all the time and the air is moving / wetter in places, so different electrons find it "easier" to move.

You have to push harder, but the air is basically a big huge wire too.

In a vacuum, you don't get arcs.


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

[User] Why does paper turn yellow as it ages?

[Assistant] It eventually turns paper yellow because of oxidation. Paper is made from wood, which is made up mainly of white cellulose. Wood also has a lot of a dark substance in it called lignin, which ends up in the paper, too, along with the cellulose. The exposure of lignin to air and sunlight is what turns paper yellow.


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

[User]
ELI5: If a petition's requirements are fulfilled can it be overruled?

For example if you sign a petition to change stoplights to 15 seconds of red light and green, instead of what it is now, and the requirements for it to be passed is x signatures and x is met, can it not happen?

[Assistant]
A petition isn't a law.  A petition is an idea for a change that is presented to whoever is in charge, and the signatures are essentially upvotes which indicate agreement with the idea.  A single voter writing to a politician or city official saying, "stoplights should be changed to 15 seconds of red light and green" will have some influence but a petition signed by 5000 people will have much more influence.

A petition with a lot of signers doesn't mean the change will be made.  For example, high school students may unanimously sign a petition saying their school should not have homework but it doesn't mean the system will change.


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

[User] [Mass Effest] Why Shepard asks turian primarch for help and rants about Earth while Palaven is literally burning in the background? Why Earth is more important than Thessia and Palaven?

[Assistant]
Because the primary Reaper attack hit Earth first. (okay, technically they hit the Batarians first and effectively ended their civilization in an instant, but no one cares about Batarians) The Reaper's biggest fleet, the focus of their attention, and the goal of their entire invasion, seemed to primarily revolve around Earth and then spread to other systems. Of course the rest of the galaxy was simultaneously burning. But if Shepard didn't do something ASAP, Earth would be permanently lost and humanity put in severe danger of extinction long before any of the other species in the galaxy.

It was a lose-lose proposition for all involved, but Shepard wouldn't stand by and watch her home die while there was still a chance of resisting.


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

[User]
[MCU] What would happen if the Hulk was given extremis?

Just say that Banner took the serum somehow without hulking out before it could get into his system.

[Assistant] I'd think it would *make* him Hulk out, then the transformation would purge it from his system. IIRC he doesn't just transform when he's angry, he also transforms when his body gets overstimulated, which Extremis would arguably do.


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

[User]
[General SciFi] Why dont mechs sink into the ground?

The bigger you build something the bigger it gets. With a bipedal system all that weight is concentrated on two legs. This creates the stiletto effect. When a woman puts on a pair of heels those heels have the ability to punch through a great deal of material. The Germans had the same problem with their Maus tank. As soon as they took it out into the field it sunk. If an 188 tonnes tank that has a wide foundation and low profile sinks into the ground a mech definitely would.

[Assistant]
A major focus on early mech designs was to spread out the weight as much as possible, which was done by giving the mechs *massive* feet in proportion to the rest of the body. See Gundam and the Transformers as an example of this from the 80's and 90's.

This is also a plot point in the Metal Gear series; the first two Metal Gear units (from the MSX games) were chicken walkers which were defeated by Snake putting bombs at their feet, which toppled the mechs. But when Metal Gear REX (from the PS1 game) was developed, it went with a larger leg design which also heavily reinforced the feet, rendering it immune to such a strategy. Snake had to use a deliberate flaw added by Otacon in order to defeat it.


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

[User]
Eli5: What exactly is happening when we pop our knuckles/back/neck?

Why does it feel so good? Is there a difference in popping my knuckles versus popping my back? Why do I get such a good pop on one side and then don't even get a little pop on the other side (thinking of neck and back here)? What is happening?!?

[Assistant]
The joints are cushioned in a sealed sac of synovial fluid which acts as a lubricant to allow smooth movement of the joints without wearing down on each others surfaces.

When you exert force on those joints in a specific way, youre pulling the joints apart which creates a vacuum like condition on that sac of synovial fluid.  Eventually the fluid cavitates suddenly in a pop which releases nitrogen gas that was dissolved in the fluid.  This bubble of nitrogen gas takes up the volume that was created by the vacuum.  The nitrogen eventually gets slowly reabsorbed into the fluid as the force pulling the cavity apart is removed.  Thats why it takes a few minutes to settle before a joint can pop again.


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

[User]
ELI5: Did the German citizens who continued to live within Germany during WWII really not know about the genocide that was taking place within and around their borders?

I'm a history buff and love studying the events that transpired during the 20th century, but this is a question I've never had answered.

Were the German citizens who weren't fighting in the war (directly) completely unaware of Hitler's 'Final Solution' or were they all just too ashamed to admit that they knew about it after 'The Allies' took Berlin?

[Assistant]
They were aware that something was happening, but they had much bigger concerns at the time. They were fighting wars on several borders, and constant bombings made them more worried about their own skins than whatever might have happened to their Jewish neighbors.

Source: Grandmother who lived in Dresden during the firebombings.


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

[User] ELI5: Why can't I hear as well when I stretch?

[Assistant]
Apparently, it is the same reason that you can't hear as well when yawning.
>When the Eustachian tube is opened, the source of the sound is now actually two  The ear canal and the Eustachian tube. The sound through the Eustachian tube fills the middle ear, which thereby also reduces the ability to amplify the sound from the ear canal. This is the reason, why we hear our internal sounds more, when we yawn or stretch. This opening of the tube is just temporary while yawning, stretching, and a few people develop the ability to open it voluntarily.


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

[User]
[The Good Place][spoilers]Why is the (spoiler) suit such an innovation when demons should have always been able to create them?

In Season 4, there is a big deal about how Shawn has been able to create a "Michael suit" to make the main characters think that their friend has betrayed them. It's portrayed as a special project that took a lot of work, except...every demon already has a human skinsuit, presumably also one that needed to be created from scratch. We already knew that demons in this show looked like humans because human bodies were basically their work clothes. It was something about how it's easier to torture a human if you know what it's like to be inside one.

At the DemonCon, Shawn makes a big deal about "Torture 2.0", that now instead of plain old physical torture, you can now torture someone disguised as someone from their life. Except, what was preventing the demons from already making human suits that mimicked people from real life? The demons clearly represent all variety of body types, races, ages, male and female, etc, so it's not like they were working with any limitations.

[Assistant]
The bad place has basically done the same thing for thousands of years.  Humans arrive, get assigned a demon, the demon uses penis flatteners or such to torture.  Its what they always did, and it worked fine.

But they were just cogs in a machine, grinding out human misery.  There was no artistry to it, nor did they even really realize that they were bored.

Then Michael came along and tried something new.  And him trying something new inspired Shawn to try something new.

So while they always had the capability to do something new, they never had the drive to do anything new.


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

[User]
ELI5: How did old forts actually "protect" a strategic area? Couldn't the enemy just go around them or stay out of range?

I've visited quite a few colonial era and revolution era forts in my life.  They're always surprisingly small and would have only housed a small group of men.  The largest one I've seen would have housed a couple hundred.  I was told that some blockhouses close to where I live were used to protect a small settlement from native american raids.  How can small little forts or blockhouses protect from raids or stop armies from passing through?  Surely the indians could have gone around this big house.  How could an army come up to a fort and not just go around it if there's only 100 men inside?

**tl;dr** - I understand the purpose of a fort and it's location, but I don't understand how it does what it does.

[Assistant]
Yes you are right you can try and avoid it.

The issue with forts and castles is that it's a hideout for men. You could ignore it but you then have a group of highly armed and trained men you can nip out, attack your supply chains and retreat back into the safety of the fort.

Forts are often built in higher places giving a larger radius of fire meaning you would have to go a very long way around to avoid them. This would often be through terrain so would slow troops down and maybe impossible for carts to traverse. Rivers with bridges or fords were a commonplace to build forts near as defending troops can snipe, enemies, trying to use the crossing.

If you went past the fort you'd have real problems supplying or even having your frontline troops retreating. Runners were needed for communication so messages could be hindered or intercepted.

Finally, it's hard to prove to the populace that you're their new ruler if they're old ruler is still down the road looting your supply convoys.


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

[User] ELI5: How does a pet learn its name? How does it know you're calling it?

[Assistant]
It's generally accepted that cats/dogs learn their "names" through types of conditioning. This includes things like Positive reinforcement (cuddles, treats, etc. ). Another example of conditioning comes from Pavlov's experiment.

But, for instance, if you call Fido and Fido responds to the noise and you scratch behind his ears Fido will learn that responding to that sound means getting affection. The same goes with the words treat, walk, etc.

I read somewhere that dogs can supposedly understand from 100- 1000 words depending on the breed.

Hope this helps.


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

[User]
Eli5 How do Sloths actually survive ?

With predators out there yet they arent endangered with their slow movements  how do they survive out there in nature ?

Does their meat taste bad?

[Assistant] Camouflage and that's about it. Sloths excel in energy conservation, so they don't need to forage as much as other animals. As a result, they spend a lot of their time perfectly still, so the camouflage is quite effective. They also have a symbiotic relationship with the green algae that grows on their fur, further aiding the camouflage.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does it feel 'satisfying' to elevate your legs/feet whilst sitting/laying down?

[Assistant] Because when you sit the blood flow towards your leg is restricted, so after a while your leg will feel exhausted. However if you raise your legs the blood flow return to normal making you feel satisfying!


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

[User]
[Marvel] When Spiderman saved all those people on the train and they knew his face, did any of them meet Peter Parker and treat him better or buy him a meal?

This was in Spiderman 2.

[Assistant]
"He's just a kid..."

They very likely don't know who he is. NY has millions of people, the likelihood of him even running into one of them again is quite low, and the odds of them recognizing him by name is equally low. Parker is a photographer, but his face, if it ever appeared in the Bugle, would be a tiny corner photo on who took a certain photo for the paper.


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

[User]
how does light polarisation with a third filter at 45 degrees allows light to pass through?

I understand how polarisation works but don't understand how adding the third filter to pass through, please help! Thanks :)

[Assistant]
The key thing with polarisation filters is that once the light has passed through, it is now *all* polarised in the direction of the filter. So you start with randomly polarised light, and it hits filter 1(vertical). Now 50% of it passes through, and is now all polarised vertical. If it now hits filter 2 (horizontal) 0% gets through, as the filter is at 90 degrees to the incoming light.

If you add a third filter at 45 degrees in the middle, then after filter 1 the light now hits a filter at 45 degrees to vertical. This lets 50% of the light through, which is now polarised 45 degrees from vertical. Now when it hits the last filter there is another 45 degree difference, so another 50% of the light gets through (Three 50% losses means we are now at 1/8 the starting light!).

Does that make sense? :)


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

[User]
What is the proper sequence after being recommended to a famous prof. via e-mail?

I just started my postgraduate studies in the UK, and my advisor really liked the idea of one of my side-projects and sent an e-mail to a famous US professor. In it he just says that he thinks that the project that I'm planning might also be of relevance to him and that we should talk if we find time, all the while praising me very highly.

I am, of course, flattered but unsure what to do next. Should I now send this prof an e-mail? Or should I wait for him to respond to my advisor and me (I was cc-ed). Please help. :)

[Assistant]
It is better to write a friendly email than to do nothing.

Is the project described by your adviser in the email? If not then you should describe it.

Note that many famous professors just don't reply to the first six emails they get on a topic, so don't read too much into non response should that happen.


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

[User]
ELI5:Why are plane crashes such a big deal? there are 21 plane crashes worth of death each day in the world from traffic accidents.

Based on 2010 WHO statistics for total deaths and an average commercial plane size of 160 passengers.

[Assistant] Precisely because plane crashes happen so rarely compared to car crashes is why you hear about them on the news. A traffic accident is quite literally an everyday experience, so no one cares. A plane crash happens only once in a blue moon, so that's news.


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

[User] [LotR] If Bilbo left the Shire with the Ring after his 111th birthday, would he eventually have turned into Gollum?

[Assistant] Yes, but, well, not exactly. He would become... something else, in time, like Gollum did. However, it's obvious Gollum has adapted physically to his environment - the large webbed hands and feet, the huge eyes, etc. It's difficult to predict how exactly Bilbo would look like, depending on his hiding place, but he certainly wouldn't be a hobbit any more.


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

[User] [Harry Potter] Half an hour after his death, Dumbledore appears in a portrait in the headmaster's study. So ... in what sense is he actually dead?

[Assistant]
He's dead in that he's no longer alive.

The portrait may seem superficially to be alive, and you could argue that some of the portraits are at least semi-sentient, but at the end of the day it's got more in common with a really good Markov bot than it does a living, breathing human. Especially portraits of recently living people seem to have a much more limited intelligence than paintings of characters from antiquity or fiction such as the Fat Lady or Sir Cadogan which leads to two possibilities:

1. Portraits of the recently deceased are deliberately enchanted to be less sentient to honor the memory of the deceased and help people move on from their death, or

2. The enchantment that gives these portraits their sentience (or semi-sentience) is like a fine wine or whiskey and gets better with age. A plate-armored knight is certainly not from the late 80's early 90's, and it seems unlikely that the Fat Lady was a recent portrait given that the older students are familiar with her and that people don't refer to her by any name other than "Fat Lady." It could be that (like a Markov bot) they are able to better mimic sentience with more input from people.

I tend to believe the second option, because it seems like most portraits have one or two big character elements that they stick to pretty closely. Cadogan is the embodiment of Medieval Romance and Chivalry, the Fat Lady is obsessed with security even when she recognizes the student. The enchantment when making a portrait seems to require the painter/enchanter to imbue the portrait with a couple main traits for it to rely on while it builds the rest of its personality from its experiences with other wizards and paintings.

Dumbledore's portrait seems to be more elaborate than other paintings, and certainly seems to be aware of some of the issues that the gang faces, but at the end of the day his portrait isn't going to have the same magical insight or creativity that the irl Dumbledore would have had, and probably can't tell you things about Dumbledore that aren't common knowledge.


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

[User]
Better one statement with all calculations are multiple statements with easier calculations?

I'm learning c# and working on a little project i have been thinking about for a while. In it variables are influenced by different inputs and calculations. I was wondering for running more smoothly, is it better to update the variable in different lines of code with easier calculations, or to have one line of code that combines all the influences and combinations?

ex1: variable1 = variable1 + variable2\*3.1415;

variable1 = variable1- math.pow(variable3,2)

variable 1 = ...

ex2: variable1 = variable1 + variable2\*3.15-math.pow(variable3,2)...

[Assistant]
Readability should be your first priority, especially when creating the first version and debugging. Once you have it working *then* think about optimising the details\* of the calculations if they are running too slowly for your needs (and ideally actually profile them, since the compiler will be optimising behind the scenes anyway).

One other thing to consider is how the order of your calculations affects precision. In floating point (a + b) + c may not equal a + (b + c), especially if the numbers have a wide range of exponents. A classic example is:

    (1 + 1e20) - 1e20
    1 + (1e20 - 1e20)

\*you should obviously think about picking a good *algorithm* before you start, but that's a different issue to optimising individual operations.


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

[User]
Why hasn't the Kepler telescope found anything in alpha centauri a or b or even proxima centauri?

Is it because there are no habitable planets there? :(

[Assistant]
Kepler looks at a part of the Northern celestial hemisphere, near the constellation Cygnus, while Alpha Centauri is in the Southern hemisphere.

There has been a controversial exoplanet detection at the limit of detector capability, around one of the Alpha Centauri stars.


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

[User] [Star Wars] What if Palpatine didn't punish Vader for failure and got the absolute best tech for rebuilding Vader?

[Assistant]
We already have an example of what the best cyborg tech available to the Sith was - General Grievous.

A top form Vader would be a mix between the Vader that we see and Grievous.  Four arms, claw feet, unmatchable strength and speed, a cool cape...

But unlike Grievous, Vader would also be an incredibly powerful force user.

If Palpatine gave him a Grievous body, Vader would have probably successfully killed him long ago.


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

[User] ELI5: why is it believed by some economists that national debt can be beneficial for a countrys economy?

[Assistant]
Government debt is much more like Corporate debt than personal debt.

As individuals we're taught that debt is bad and we should do everything we can to get out of it. While Companies and Nations borrow money all the time and it's a perfect sane and reasonable thing to do so long as you don't go too far.

One economic theory goes that the government should borrow money during a recession. By putting money into the economy, creating projects and jobs, the government is helping the economy get running again.

The government makes it's money through taxes so it's said that for every dollar the government spends it gets 60-70 cents back in taxes. The stronger the economy, the more money the government brings in. So in the short term it's better for everyone if the government borrows money to help get the economy rolling.

Where-as if the government doesn't borrow money it instead needs to perform austerity measures, which means cutting back programs to save money. This in turn cuts back on jobs and programs that people need to survive, which makes the crisis worse and makes it last longer.

Another factor is much of the savings industry is built on Government debt. Pension plans, 401k's, life savings, etc are heavily invested in Government Bonds because it's a very safe investment. So even though the government is borrowing money from Joe Taxpayer, Joe does get something out of it. Both in the very programs that are being paid for by that debt, and by the interest he makes on his savings.


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

[User] [Pokemon] Why does it seem that all Pokemon have an understanding of the significance of gym badges?

[Assistant]
I think it's less "Oh look this trainer has the whatever badge", and more "This trainer's defeated all sorts of people and Pokemon, he seems worth listening to."

In other words they don't care about the pieces of metal, but the prestige of having defeated Brock or whoever.


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

[User]
Where does excess protein go?

As per the title, is excess protein metabolized into fat (I didn't know we had the biological machinery for this process, but am not sure), is it removed via excretion, or does more of it go to muscle? Eating a pure protein diet does not mean all the protein consume goes into muscle, but is a higher proportion of it utilized in muscle than in a normal 1 g protein: 1 lb body weight diet?

[Assistant]
Protein has stored energy that the body can use as calories just like it does with sugar or fat. If unused, the body can convert the energy to fat. The primary end products of amino acid digestion are ammonia, carbon dioxide, and water. Carbon dioxide is exhaled, while water and ammonia (converted to urea to prevent it from being toxic) are expelled through pee.

To be clear, if your body is trying to build new proteins (such as for muscle) it will use the available amino acids instead of metabolizing them further for calories. The body will only try to build muscle if you are using the muscles heavily and you are consuming sufficient calories. The body will not try to strengthen muscles that arent used much and it wont grow any new muscle if its starving.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why does one raise a glass for a toast?

Just curious where that trend started.

[Assistant] Poisoning. When glasses hit each other the drink would go into the other persons thus showing a sense of camaraderie. people were often (I suppose still are) in the past and the wine would ideally drip into each other hence proving that they could drink together as one. this is also the basis of the story of the grail as when we drink as one we have mutual love for life and our efforts.


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

[User]
Could the conditions for life be different than ours in another part of the universe?

Basically, can other life forms in the universe exist without our specific standards of living. Is it possible for life forms to exist not dependant on water or oxygen? Why is water the standard for looking for life on other planets?

Edit: got more than enough great answers. Thanks everyone!

[Assistant]
We don't know what the full range of conditions is under which life can exist.

What we do know is that life is possible in places like the Earth.

So if you were going to look for life, better to spend your efforts in the kinds of places where we know life can exist, but that is not the same as saying life can't exist in other conditions.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does it take so long for the pharmacy to fill my prescription?

[Assistant]
* A lot of times the pharmacist is looking up what other medications you're on to make sure they don't have a bad reaction with each other. (For example, If you're on medication A, and get prescribed medication B, the pharmacist check that A and B together don't cause a problem). If a reaction is found, the pharmacists may have to look up a substitute or call your doctor.

* The pharmacist may be looking up a generic so you get a cheaper drug.

* Some medications are made on the spot (very few, but they require attention)

* Other people came in before you, and you're waiting for the pharmacists to get through the backlog

* There is a TON of paperwork involved, from DEA forms, to insurance, to pharmacy policy, etc.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why is Wikipedia not a complete mess? If anyone can edit it why isn't it overrun by vandals?

There are hundreds of thousands of articles. How are they all monitored?

[Assistant] There are bots that will autorevert more obvious vandalism, and articles which have a lot of vandalism are protected. For instance, while you can edit most articles without an account, if you try to edit the pages for Obama or Jesus you'll need to login and any vandalism will result in a ban. They can ban accounts and IP addresses.


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

[User]
Is there a country that is currently decreasing in population due to an aging population?

I'm aware of many countries like Japan that have an aging population due to low birth rates, but I would like to know if any countries are in the midst of a high death rate that might affect the economy and housing market.  What type of policies are implemented to support the economy? Would there be incentives to get new families in apartments and housing?

[Assistant]
Most of the post industrial west, Russia, Japan.

What you're touching on is known as the demographic transition and it goes like this:

Phase 1: Pre-industrial; high birth rates but also high death rates and thus a reasonably stable population

Phase 2: We get sanitation, vaccines, antibiotics... death rates plummet but people still have a shit load of kids. Populations increase rapidly. This describe most of the industrialized world for the first half the 20th century.

Phase 3: People start to realize that that all their kids can be expected to live into adulthood, a goodly percentage of population is no longer engaged in agriculture (so no need for big families), birth control becomes a thing - Population growth begins to stabilize. So most of the industrial world in the second half the 20th

Phase 4: Material wealth begins to play a role. People make the choice to trade off having more children for security and/or just more shit like houses, vacations, educations, ect... Fertility rates decline below replacement

Phase 5: <- what your asking about now. The more aged populations that result from phase 4 reach a sufficiently old age that high death rates return and the population declines farther. This is a new addition and should be temporary until the cohorts born during phases 3 & 4 end their life course.

For more information see the work of Notestein and also Laundry (1934).


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

[User]
[Avatar cartoons] Why do the spirits of Aang's era seem to have so much more gravitas than Korea's?

Most of Korra's spirits seem like cartoon characters, whereas Aang's spirits all felt like forces of nature. What's the difference, and why?

Edit: You can't edit titles >_<

[Assistant] I think there's selection bias going on. The most serious spirits were the only ones who made the effort to contact Aang during the events of TLA. In Korra's time, the walls separating the "mortal world" from the spirits were removed, so any random spirit could cross over at will. This was also the case in Wan's time, so the spirits behaved similarly in that era.


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

[User]
Why do we like to sleep with a hand under our head?

Hands are harder and less comfortable than pillows, so why can't I sleep without my hand supporting my head?

[Assistant] Perhaps it's a natural instinct dating back to when humans roamed the earth and didn't have luxuries such as beds and pillows. While a pillow is softer than a hand, a hand is softer than rocks and cold ground.


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

[User] [Star Wars] Did Emperor Palpatine carry or have any need for a lightsaber during his visit in ROTJ?

[Assistant]
Yes and no, respectively.

Palpatine usually carried one of his lightsabers, and had for most of his life despite his position as Emperor making battles with Force wielders few and far between. He even provided one of his own to Vader as a model along with a new crystal.

In combat, however, he preferred to use his raw force power (and sometimes Sith Sorcery), with he himself noting that he'd grown beyond the use of one, even if it was a very useful tool. The prime use of a  Lightsaber in his eyes was to mock the Jedi.


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

[User]
ELI5 Why is brass not used more if it self sanitises ?

Im getting my kitchen redone & want to know why copper alloys like brass isnt used more. It seems perfect for counter space and prep areas with its self sanitation properties.
Am I missing something bc Im stupid or maybe just ahead of the curb ?

[Assistant]
Brass is quite a soft alloy relative to materials in modern use, meaning that scratches, dents etc will occur quite easily, and the amount of maintenance required to keep it in good condition is again, excessive compared to modern materials.
Finally, the colour of brass fades fairly quickly as it reacts with the air, so ends up looking quite aged quite quickly.

Btw, it's to get 'ahead of the curve' rather than curb. :-)


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

[User]
ELI5: How and why are bowels able to create such audible sounds?

(Edit): I have irritable bowel syndrome, and my bowels can get so loud that even other people can hear them, and they also create huge vibrations that i can see happening under my skin. What kind of process is this?

[Assistant] Take a ketchup packet, fold it, and squish it back and forth from side to side.  Hear that?  It's pretty much the same- the sounds come from gas and liquids getting squished through your intestines by peristalsis.


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

[User]
I believe Tupac Shakur is alive. CMV.

I know it's easy to simply dismiss these thoughts. However, I hope someone from this subreddit can provide legitimate answers to these questions.

* Why is his neck tattoo missing in his autopsy photos?
* Why is he missing from the Social Security Death Index? I can find family, friends, and other celebrities (including Biggie), but not Tupac.
* Why is the social security number listed on the coroner's report (546-47-8539) still active? There are people who believe this is the wrong number. If so, why haven't they made any adjustments to records?

Personally, I think his family's roots in political activism played a significant part in his desire to go off the grid. Tupac persistently wrote about the government, read a lot of books about philosophy, and given his cult of personality, I think his family was set on making him a major political icon.

Maybe he left sight because he didn't want to abide his family's desires. Maybe he left because he had sources tell him that the government wasn't too happy with his potential influence. Maybe he angered people with differing beliefs and went off the grid to save his life.

All I know is that it's no conspiracy that most powerful black people seem to die. Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, Fred Hampton, Medgar Evers, etc.

[Assistant]
People have faked their deaths before.  Never with a *body*.  At that point, far too many people have to be complicit in the plan to have any hope of success.  Usually, faked drowning is how it's done, because it's believable.

Faked multiple gunshot wounds received in public, of a person who was known to the police and had been probably dna swabbed?  Faked autopsy photos and coroners reports?  Dozens of people in on the cover-up?  Honestly, think of how many chances for failure such a plan would have, at each stage.

Not even a remote possibility.


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

[User]
[Futurama] Why do robots have genders?

In futurama robots have different genders like male or female and everything in between. Why is this? Did Momcorp just want to simulate human behavior?

[Assistant] It was explained when Bender and the vending machine had a baby.  Factories can't produce enough robots, so when a him-bot and a fem-bot tolerate each other for about 15 minutes, they can share robo-dna to make a new little robot.  Thus continues the circle of life.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does everyone hate flash so much? Why is everyone trying to get it blocked everywhere?

[Assistant]
Flash is a system where web designers can do things on a webpage that is not usually possible through html.  It can play video, connect to servers, read and write to the operating system files, and more.

Unfortunately, to achieve all of these features, flash had to give its programs increased access to the operating system.  Flash tried to protect the operating system by creating a 'sandbox' - forced limitations of how the flash programs can use the operating system, but Flash has failed to keep its programs in the sandbox in many, many cases.

So now a programmer could use one of these holes in the sandbox to install viruses, steal data, control the web browser, and other bad activities.  Flash tries to block the holes, but new ones keep popping up.  The public has lost trust in Flash, and now there are efforts to remove it completely from the web to better protect all of us users.

Additionally, advertisers were able to use Flash to to make the web annoying.  Advertisements would make noise, flash, play video, and talk.  Compared to the pages, the flash advertisements were large and could slow down the computer.  So now you are trying to read the news, and right in the middle of the article are 3 monkeys trying to dodge your mouse cursor, a car driving through a box, and bags of money enticing you to click on one. So in addition to the security issues, Flash became synonymous with advertising, attracting even more hatred.


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

[User]
I support free migration, and believe that all immigration restrictions are unjust. CMV

Counterarguments to common arguments against open borders:

* "Immigrants would take jobs that should go to natives." Regardless of whether immigrants are taking jobs that would otherwise have gone to natives (the empirics I've seen lead me to believe that they don't), why should being a native entitle anyone to a better chance at a job? Suppose someone made a similar argument against women in the workforce - "Women shouldn't be allowed to work because they'll take jobs from men" - or against efficiency - "People shouldn't be efficient and productive because then it takes fewer people to do the same job". If an employer wants to hire a native worker, and the worker is capable of consenting to taking the job (i.e. is not a child or extremely mentally unhealthy), then they can agree to a mutually beneficial contract. This is uncontroversial (except among the far left), so what's different if the worker happens to live in another country?

* "Immigrants would change our culture." Immigrants have changed American culture in the past, and no one today thinks that's a bad thing. More importantly, culture is no more than what individuals who live in a certain area or identify with a certain group tend to do. If some native-born Americans suddenly adopted different cultural norms, no one would support deporting them.

* "Immigrants would abuse the welfare state." There are two answers to this. The first is that it would not be difficult to restrict the welfare state to citizens. The second addresses the purpose of the welfare state. If the purpose of redistribution is to benefit the unlucky (those who happen to be born into low-income families or lose their jobs through no fault of their own), then people who are born in third-world countries are even more unlucky than either of those groups. If they come to first-world countries and work, they would be more productive than they would have been in their native countries (not to mention they could be fleeing things like wars and genocide), and, in a utilitarian calculus, the benefits to these immigrants far outweigh the benefits of the welfare state to those who are already wealthy by global standards.

* "Immigrants would increase crime." I've not seen much empirical evidence to justify this claim. Yes, there are some places with many immigrants (or children of immigrants) that have high crime rates, but the same can be said of natives - plenty of high-crime areas don't have any foreigners. And even if immigrants are disproportionally likely to commit crimes, that is not an argument against immigration unless you also believe that native-born groups who are disproportionately likely to commit crimes should be deported as well.

* "We live here, so we decide the rules." Even if that's true, what's good about current rules? The above arguments show why current rules are bad (or at least internally inconsistent), so why not change them? More fundamentally, though, why do you get to decide the rules? If I own a house and want to rent it out to an immigrant, under what authority can the government say that I can't? Does it own my house? If so, how did it come to own it? If I am a business owner and want to hire an immigrant, and the immigrant wants to work for me, what authority does the government have to stop a mutually beneficial voluntary exchange? Does it own my business? The country is not owned by the government, it is a composite of a large number of properties with different owners, administered by a government. Government is a service, not an owner - if you always hire the same plumber to work on your pipes, that doesn't mean he owns them, so why is it different for government?

Edit for another common counterargument:

* "Open borders mean you don't know who's coming and going." "Open borders" doesn't necessarily mean "no borders". Under open borders people could still have to register before entering a country, it would just mean that they wouldn't be denied entry once registered.

[Assistant]
Money is the key ingredient in immigration restrictions. Citizens pay taxes and get the benefits of those taxes. Immigration restrictions are in place to guard against illegal immigrants coming into the country and benefiting from the citizens tax money.

Also, educated immigrants are usually a good thing because they bring something to contribute to the society - hence why they can usually get citizenship faster. Uneducated immigrants are beneficial too, but only to a certain extent. They provide cheap labor but suck up resources they usually can't pay for. So it's a pretty grey issue, but immigration restrictions are there to protect tax dollars.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why Are Soap Operas Shot In Around 60 FPS?

Movies and tv seem to be usually shot in 24 FPS, but soap operas are obvious much higher, i'm not sure if its 60 or 48 but its much smoother than anything else on TV, why?

[Assistant] It's because they're shot on video, as opposed to film. Film is traditionally projected at 24 frames per second but video doesn't have to be. In the case of soap operas, they are cheaply made so they just shoot them to regular video tape (or digital video these days) which looks smoother than something shot on filmstock (or something shot in such a way as to look like filmstock). Shooting on film is incredibly expensive and for something like a soap opera, which airs new episodes every day, using 24fps film just hasn't been financially viable.


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

[User]
[Pokemon] what happens to a Captured Pokemon when its master dies?

Sorry if its a little morbid... but what happens? There must be many Pokemon without masters when they have died. Do they go back into the wild? Imagine a charizard level 99 beaten the elite four, goes back to where he was first captured as a charmander. The unlucky Pokemon novice trainer with a level 5 pidgey, a level 6 weedle and a level 5 pikachu that encounters the angry lonely level 99 war hero charizard...

[Assistant]
Well its safe to assume that one of three thing can happen.

1. The pokmon is passed down to a close friend or family member which is very common regardless of the pokmon being trained for battling or its just the family pet. Either they serve as a guardian if the person is too young or an addition to the team if its an experienced trainer.

2. The trainer releases them in the wild, the location depending on the pokmons species and personal tastes. Now this is a trained pokmon so it has plenty of experience with humans so its very doubtful that it will crush Youngster Joeys Rattata into a mush just because they entered its territory. At most theyll just lead them away, fire warning shots, or just stay hidden. Alternatively the pokmon can be released in a dangerous and hazardous area where it can battle all out without worrying about hurting someone.

3. The pokmon is given to a group like a local mom and pop shop that the trainer and pokmon are familiar with to live out its life in peace or to something like the Pokmon Rangers which would allow it to travel around and battle bad guys and help sick/injured pokmon.


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

[User]
Have most of the stars that will ever be formed in the Milky Way already been formed?

Wikipedia tells me: "According to recent studies, the Milky Way as well as Andromeda lie in what in the galaxy color-magnitude diagram is known as the green valley, a region populated by galaxies in transition from the blue cloud (galaxies actively forming new stars) to the red sequence (galaxies that lack star formation). Star formation activity in green valley galaxies is slowing as they run out of star-forming gas in the interstellar medium. In simulated galaxies with similar properties, star formation will typically have been extinguished within about five billion years from now, even accounting for the expected, short-term increase in the rate of star formation due to the collision between both our galaxy and the Andromeda Galaxy."

The oldest stars in the Milky Way are over 13 billion years old. The sun is 4.5 billion years old and expected to shine for another 5 billion years. According to the paragraph above, it sounds like we (if "we" is still a thing, that far in the future) wouldn't be able to find very many new young stars by the time ours is done.

Am I right to feel gloomy about all that? In the past I had read that the "stelliferous" era would last a quadrillion years, meaning we find ourselves only in the first 1/100,000th of the part of the universe's lifetime that new stars can be formed. But apparently that doesn't apply to our own galaxy?

[Assistant] Just to throw this out there, the current star formation rate in the Milky Way is something like one a year so, assuming that it's constant (it isn't) that's 5 billion or so stars that will be formed before the Sun dies.


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

[User]
ELI5: Could planes benefit from having dimples like golf balls?

I watched the Vox video about golf ball dimples and cores and it made me wonder; could airplanes use the same dimple concept to increase stability? or do they already and i just never noticed?

[Assistant] No. Dimples help on golf balls because they help with base drag, that is drag created by the low pressure region behind the moving thing. However, the dimples increase drag from skin friction. Golf balls are not aerodynamic and thus have a lot of base drag, thus the dimples help. But airplanes are made very aerodynamic and have relatively more skin friction drag, so the benefit from dimpling the skin would be negated by the increased drag of skin friction.


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

[User]
what did you do with your political science degree?

Edit: Hey just wanted to thank everybody for the excellent input! It's very much appreciated and I'm sure the next kid worried about their major will stumble upon this thread and find it very enlightening.

[Assistant] I worked at a polling firm as an analyst, then at an advocacy group designing A/B experiments, then as a software developer for one of the parties. If you take some time to beef up your math and data skills while getting your degree you will never be without a job.


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

[User]
Do scientists believe there is an "edge" of the universe, or do they believe that it goes on forever?

Or is it some other possibility that they believe?

[Assistant]
No scientist believes that there is an edge of the universe, because no scientist has a good idea for how such an edge might work; what would keep you from going further?

The predominant opinion currently is that it goes on forever. Some scientists think instead that it "curls back" on itself, like the surface of the earth does; that way it can be finite without having an edge.


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

[User] [Star Wars] The Jedi order was destroyed by Palpatine, a great sith lord who understood the Force. Why were the Jedi so pathetically weak in their use of Force?

[Assistant]
Firstly, Sidious was extremely powerful in the Force.  He represented a culmination of the constantly-improving Sith Order, the final product of the Rule of Two.  Sidious completely outclassed almost every single Jedi, with only Yoda being able to stand on somewhat even footing against him.

Secondly, in contrast to the stagnant Jedi, the Sith were constantly improving.  Sidious could wield powers that the Jedi had never even thought of, much less prepared for.  The Jedi had spent two thousand years training to refight the last war.  Even Yoda was using antiquated techniques against a very modern foe, which is why Sidious could simply work around Yoda's blind spots.

So, basically, think of it like a meticulously engineered sports car from 2017 that's got a bunch of additional gadgets added to it to make it even faster and better, being compared to a fleet of Ford Model Ts.


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

[User]
[Knives Out] Could the family successfully contest the Will?

Harlan altered his will to disinherit his entire family and bequeath his entire estate to his nurse Marta, only weeks before his death.

While the Thrombeys may have MANY negative qualities, and Marta may have been a very good person, any reasonable person would have reason to contest the will.

The fact that it was altered so suddenly, without anyone knowing the changes, including the family lawyer, by an aged man, who is receiving nightly doses of Morphine for pain management, and to the sole benefit of his caretaker and the complete exclusion of his family, is suspect.

Couple that with the fact that, although Marta did subconsciously give Harlen the right dose, she did actively hide her involvement, and it could be argued that her actions directly led to Harlen's suicide, as he only did so to help Marta protect her mother.

With all that in mind, do the Thrombeys have a case?

[Assistant] The family has standing to challenge the will, but theyd have to prove on what grounds. Harlan was far from being obviously incapable, the murder investigation proved he was of sound mind enough to cover up his own manslaughter in defense of another within minutes. Was Harlan under duress or undue influenced? Probably not. It was well documented that Harlan had recent family issues and family members admitted he intended to cut them all out. Other than that, there is no newer version of the will that we know of and the structure of the will is never mentioned.


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

[User]
[Marvel] Spider-Man here. Can I ever be happy?

OK, long story short, I got to visit Asgard for a work thing. It's pretty amazing there! But my question is, I was talking to one of the small-G gods up there. I think Balder, but the whole thing's kind of a blur! Balder (?) was talking about really deep stuff. He told me he had seen into other universes with other Spider-Men, but there were always differences  some had organic webshooters in their wrists, some got their powers from a spider god, some were even married!

But he said none of the Peter Parkers were happy and content. Oh, they weren't strapped to a rack being tortured all the time, but they were all disorganized and unhappy, never able to find a balance and have a satisfying life. He said it was in my nature to struggle and face misfortune, that the price of being Spider-Man is to never find long-lasting happiness. He said it almost like he was congratulating me. It was kind of disturbing.

So is this for real? Does the universe insist that I always get in a bind? I always thought, you know, I'm almost there! Soon I'll have it!

[Assistant]
If you are happy, you cannot be Spider-Man.  Spider-Man is driven by guilt; his good deeds are a never-ending attempt to rectify a mistake and assuage the guilt that eats at his core.  But you can save everyone in New York and it won't bring your uncle back.

So, perhaps you can be happy.  But if you are, you will only be Peter Parker - not Spider-Man.


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

[User] [King Kong 2005] How did the ancient civilization build structures at the inner part of the island since it's filled with dangers at every turn?

[Assistant] Plenty of possibilities. Everything from a smaller monster population when the structures were built to more advanced and numerous human settlers better able to combat the dangers. Could even be there were multiple kongs on the island that aided humanity similar to their monsterverse counterparts. These other kongs could have died out from disease or famine or just simply lower birth rates than the V-rexes that are their main competition for survival.


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

[User]
Why does Saturn have rings?

Is it because of a property of Saturn or an event that caused it to have rings?

Also, why doesn't the matter in the rings clump together to form moons?

[Assistant]
All of the gas giants have rings. It's a property of heavy planets. Think of rings as failed moons that have been ripped apart instead of coalescing because they are too close to the planet.

If a moon suddenly appeared in orbit in the ring, then the side of the Moon nearest the planet would want to orbit faster than the side of the Moon farthest, and it would get smeared into a ring. This effect still occurs farther out, just not as severe. This is why some moons of Saturn and Jupiter have crazy volcanic activity.


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

[User]
[Indiana Jones] After dying of extremely old age, would Indy want his remains to be studied/displayed in a museum?

He drank from the grail and survived the fridge after all... got the idea from white hat guy obsessed with Coronado lol.

[Assistant] The US government would probably take his real body upon death to study it, since hes done so much remarkable stuff and is definitely on their radar. Theyd probably donate his body (the fake or reproduction) to a museum or some memorial to cover it all up.


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

[User] ELI5: Why do animals and mammals shut down to sleep. Why cant we keep active while the body repairs itself?

[Assistant] At the end of the day, we don't know.  There are things that happen with memory processing during sleep (which is why dreams can be so hard to remember).  It's also a good idea for our bodies to shut down during dreams (which again, we don't fully understand why we do that).  Acting out dreams is a quick way to get injured so we don't want to do that.


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

[User]
How can I show my dad, an old school neopositivist, that philosophy is valuable?

My dad studied philosophy of science and neopositivism (especially Karnap) in the sixties, and he believes that most branches of philosophy are garbage (he says political philosophy is akin to astrology, Phil of mind is "what learned man do while sitting in a couch", chomsky is a snake oil salesmen and so on). At the same time he does amateur philosophy, writing about the ethics of capitalism(wat). In short he has got a massive bias against academic philosophy and it's getting grating whenever I start talking about interesting ideas in philosophy to hear them snarkly dismissed. I've tried convincing him but he's close minded about the issue and having way more expertise than me I suppose he feels confident in his opinion. Is there anything I could show him (a defense of philosophy or maybe a "clearly valuable" essay by a professional philosopher?) to make him open up?

[Assistant]
I find the prospect of someone being a neopositivist and not thinking much of academic philosophy somewhat jarring--neopositivism being one of the most influential traditions in recent academic philosophy.  It sounds like he advocates a number of respectable philosophical positions, for instance you mention non-cognitivism about ethics in one of the comments here.

Is the issue that you disagree with his holding these positions, or that you hold different positions than these and which he disagrees with?  If it's something like this, you could try to address such a disagreement by each of you working on understanding the other's position; for instance, you would read some works on non-cognitivism, and he could read some works on cognitivism (if you're a cognitivist, and that's the point of disagreement).

If it's not a matter of disagreement and your father is just looking for some philosophy to read, and that he will find agreeable, since he already likes neopositivism it would be natural to suggest some readings from logical empiricism.  Schlick, Carnap, Neurath, and Reichenbach are all excellent and often relatively accessible.


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

[User] Humans have 'friendly' bacteria that live in their gut. There are four dominant phyla present. How did they get there? If it was based on diet, surely people from different parts of the world would have different bacteria in their gut?

[Assistant] Gut bacteria are introduced through the mother to the baby during birth. Babies usually come out headfirst and mouth open. They are inoculated then. Later other bacteria can be introduced when the baby ingests them as food or by putting things in their mouths.


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

[User]
[Pulp Fiction] After Marsellus shoots Zed in basement of the pawn shop, he tells Butch that he's going to "call a couple hard, pipe-hittin' n***s, who'll go to work on the homes here with a pair of pliers and a blow torch". How does Marsellus plan on explaining the situation to his associates?

To clarify, his associates are going to come down to a creepy basement of a pawnshop where they will find their boss, a man stabbed with a sword, a tied up gimp, and another man shot in the belly.

[Assistant]
"Here's some crack and a hundred bucks. Cut this guy's tongue out and then torture him until he's dead. Make sure it takes a while."

Hard, pipe-hittin' n***s that go to work on homes with a pair of pliers and a blowtorch aren't generally the kinds of people who need detailed explanations.


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

[User]
[John Wick] I just got into a barfight on Continental grounds, but it wasn't business related. Am I still gonna die?

So stupid thing, me and some other guy at the Continental were having an argument about football, and it got physical. Continental security broke up the fight, and now we're sitting in the manager's office.

Me and the other guy both agree that the fight had nothing to do with "business", it was just a personal dust-up. Are we going to get excommunicated for this?

[Assistant]
By the letter of the law, you and your new "friend" are both dead. Violence on Continental grounds is a violation.

*However,* you have reason to hope. First of all, you were subdued and brought to the office. The fact that you aren't already in the Cleaner's van means security already chose to handle you two with kid gloves. Secondly... while it varies by branch of the Continental, the management has a degree of discretion as to how incidents like yours can be handled. If it didn't get too out of hand, then the manager *might* be able to overlook how colossally stupid you both were without having to lose face. So be polite and apologize, and *pray* this particular manager isn't a hard stickler for the rules... or that he just dislikes you for some entirely unrelated reason.

But if you caused property damage or in any way made it seem like the Continental was losing their iron grip on safety, you're fucked.


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

[User]
[Bible] Why did the Egyptians continue to worship their gods when they have been given a clear demonstration that the Hebrew god is much more powerful?

In Exodus, the Hebrew god is basically pitted against the Egyptian gods on behalf of their respective peoples, but the Hebrew god displays huge acts of power while the Egyptian gods don't even so much as make an appearance.

Given this, why would any Egyptians continue worshipping their powerless or apathetic pantheon, when they know there is a more powerful, more interactive god just around the corner?

[Assistant]
The Egyptian gods had plenty of power. They still made the Nile flood and the crops grow. They still helped mothers conceive and give birth. They still provided an afterlife.

Plus, all of the acts of the Hebrew god were relatively condensed in time; they didn't occur long enough for people to overcome their inertia.

That is, of course, supposing that the Hebrew god actually did the things. Perhaps the Egyptian pantheon brought the plagues as punishment for not better controlling the Jews. At the very least, the priests (who would have the most to lose if their people lost faith) could have spun it that way.


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

[User] ELI5: why does soda fizz more when poured into a glass with ice as opposed to one without?

[Assistant] The surface of the ice is rough until it starts to melt enough. This provides nucleation sites where the bubbles can grow more easily. It's the same principle as the mentos in diet coke thing. If you rinse the ice with water first, it won't foam up as much. Try also pouring into a dry glass vs one that you've just rinsed. The rinsed glass will foam less.


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

[User] EL5 the difference between Alzheimers and dementia.

[Assistant] Dementia is the generic term for "losing your mind". It can result from many causes, including trauma, oxygen deprivation, strokes, etc, as well as various diseases. Patients with Alzheimer's disease commonly present with dementia as a symptom.


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

[User]
Relative to their size, how far away are galaxies to each other?

For example; is the average distance between galaxies 10,000 times their diameter?

[Assistant] The Andromeda galaxy is about 25 Milky Way diameters away. This is much closer than stars are, compared to their diameter, e.g. Alpha Centauri is 27 million solar diameters away. There are also closer small galaxies, like the Magellanic Clouds, which are at a distance comparable to the Milky Way's diameter.


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

[User] [Star Wars] I'm a mid-rank Stormtrooper in the Imperial army. In a skirmish against the Rebel Scum, Lord Vader picked me up with the Force and used me as a meatshield against an explosion. I survived, but the damage has retired me. How does the Empire treat me? Do I get a pension, an accomodation?

[Assistant] In pappa palpatines empire you get a medal for services rendered and if you're lucky they won't bill you for the med droid that had to haul you off the battlefield or the perfectly fine armor you so callously bled all over.


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

[User] ELI5: What makes kevlar better against bullets than steel (or any metal)?

[Assistant]
There are two ways to stop a moving object: you either have something hard and heavy enough to stop it over a short distance, or you have something flexible with high tensile strength that "catches" it and slows it down over a longer distance.

In the case of the hard and heavy, this is what you typically see on vehicles because, well, it's heavy. The thickness of the material is usually porportionate to it's effectiveness. The projectile will impact the side of the armor and shatter/deform because the hardness and mass of the armor is higher than that of the projectile. Obviously there is a sliding scale here, as the heavier a projectile and the faster it moves, the harder it is to slow it. This is why tank rounds are designed the way they are: very high velocity, dense (hence depleted uranium) and a small cross section (discarding sabot). The intent is to overwhelm the armor by concentrating a significant amount of energy in a small area.

Kevlar, on the other hand, takes a different approach. Instead of trying to resist and stop the moving projectile at the surface, Kevlar will "give" and flex under the impact. But because Kevlar has such a high tensile strength, it doesn't break as it gives. It effectively acts as a kind of 'catcher's mitt' to slow the bullet to a stop. This is why even if your armor stops a bullet, it hurts like a fucker because your body is still being hit very hard, it's just dissipating that energy over a larger area.

As you can imagine, however, the threshold for the effectiveness of Kevlar is much lower than that of steel or composite armor, which is why kevlar vests are usually only rated for certain kinds of handgun rounds, and only resist rifle bullet impacts with the addition of ceramic inserts and below a certain caliber/velocity.


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

[User] ELI5: what chemically happens to milk when it goes sour?

[Assistant] The lactose (milk sugar) is converted to lactic acid by lactobacillus bacteria (same ones that make yoghurt and cheese). The increased acidity causes the milk proteins to denature (unfold), exposing bits of protein that are hydrophobic (want to stay away from water). These bits then stick to each other, making clumps that hide the hydrophobic bits from the water.


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

[User]
Rotation inertia question: why doesn't the *change* in direction of each portion of an object, needed to keep the object spinning, constitute an acceleration, requiring work?

I am sure this is a boneheaded question but my meager physics understanding leads me to a bit of a perceived contradiction.

[Assistant] Even though every point on a rotating object experiences an acceleration towards the object's center of rotation, the object does not gain/lose energy because the force vector and velocity vector of each point are perpendicular. Basically, the force isn't contributing at all in the direction of motion, so no energy is added or lost.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why does coffee have to sit in a French press for like 5min to be strong enough, whereas with pour over the water is only in contact with the grounds for 10-15 seconds and produces a similar strength?

My first guess is that it has something to do with gravity pulling out the flavor as it narrows through the tunnel of Godly caffeination, my second guess is absolute fucking magic...

Edit: haha ELI5 makes you pick a flair but I literally cannot think of a subject that doesn't relate to coffee so we'll go with "physics."

[Assistant]
Ahh as a physics person that loves coffee, this just makes me happy.

This has less to do with physics but rather coffee preparation. If you take a look at any coffee brewing guide they will recommend that you grind coarser for french press, and finer for drip.

Coffee is made when water "washes" off the soluble material from your coffee beans. Larger pieces of coffee (like those that you'd use for french press) have less surface area than finer ground coffee (like drip coffee). So while contact time between French Press and Drip differ vastly, the amout of soluble material that the water extracts for each method is similar due to it's grind size.

Similarly, that is why you need an insanely fine grind for espresso because all the extraction happens in 30 seconds.


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

[User]
ELI5: How are veterans only courts legal?

Recently I became aware that U.S. citizens who were also veterans have access (in some states) to special veterans courts where punishments are more lenient, social services are provided and felonies can be reduced to misdemeanors. I'm certainly not complaining, most of these things have been shown to be more effective and save more money than the current system. What I'm curious about is how they can legal give (or deny depending how you see it) people preferential treatment based on veteran status. Thanks for any explanations!

*Edit - So I think there is some confusion, I'm not actually looking for why we have them. As I stated, I think they are a great thing and that everyone should have access to such a system. I was more looking for the legal speak on how a court can limit which citizens have access to it.

[Assistant]
Veteran court cases have to be related in some way to the fact that the person is a veteran.  The intent is to focus on cases that the state feels responsible for the actions of the individual so for things like crimes caused by ptsd.

Edit : the intent is so the state can aid in the reintegration of veterans into civilian life. Sense their crime is determined to be from a failure in the states ability to do that.


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

[User] eli5: Is there ever a reason not to "reject all" cookies when opening a webpage?

[Assistant]
There is, generally, no reason to accept these cookies at all. The other answers are somewhat correct, some cookies are used for useful stuff like remembering what's in your shopping cart, but these are considered essential cookies and if the website is implemented correctly, these will be used whether you accept cookies or not.

The cookie dialog you see on websites refers to additional tracking and advertising cookies, and it's usually safe to reject them all.


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

[User]
LI5: Could you please explain the phrase 'Deus Ex Machina'?

I know it translates roughly as 'God from the Machine' and deals with unexplained events that further a plot, but I've never been able to grasp how it is applied to real life situations. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Assistant]
It comes from when they used statues to represent gods in plays a long time ago. The machine part is because they were often lowered onto the stage with ropes and pulleys. They would often bring these onto the  stage when the plot got stuck. The god would do something magic that solved a problem or moved the plot on.
It's generally considered bad to use it in fiction these days, as it means the writer hasn't thought of a better way to move the plot along.
It isn't really used much in everyday situations, but people might mention it when something very unlikely happens that solves a problem someone has.


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

[User] In quantum field theory, are the electric and magnetic fields considered to be two separate fields that interact, or two aspects of a single field?

[Assistant] They're unified into a single field, represented by the electromagnetic field tensor, which can be expressed in terms of a single four-potential that incorporates both the classical electromagnetic scalar potential and the classical magnetic vector potential into a single geometric object. This is true in both classical relativistic electrodynamics and in quantum electrodynamics.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does bedding feel and smell so good after a day in the sun and wind at the balcony/terrace/garden?

[Assistant]
Outside the air is generally what we consider "fresh" sure it's full of minute pollutants but it's fresher than the potentially stale air inside you're house. Outside there's much more air for moisture to dissipate out into and the air and wind has a much better chance of taking any residual odours with it.

Also a lot of nasty scents are reduced given that UV rays can kill the bacteria that cause them.


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

[User] ELI5: Why do the vast majority of cars have their engine in the front? What benefits does this provide over mid or rear-engine vehicles?

[Assistant] There are a few reasons. Engines (weight) in the front promote understeer, which is generally more desirable than oversteer for passenger vehicles. An engine in front makes cooling the engine easier as it's directly in the air flow. An engine bay makes for a useful crash structure. And a significant number of cars are front-wheel drive (which used to be promoted as safer because they tend to understeer), so having the engine and transmission next to the drive wheels saves the weight and intrusiveness of a driveshaft.


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

[User] ELI5: Can a government reduce inflation by selling public property - i.e. trading assets for private cash and reducing the money in circulation?

[Assistant] This is possible. However the government kind of need most of their properties to provide the services to the citizen that they expect. Should the government sell their military equipment to the citizen? Most citizen do not want much military equipment and those who do want it at full price might not be the best people to sell it to. Should the government sell highways? People kind of need those to get around. It is hard to find anything the government can sell, most governments have already been slimmed to the bone from budgets cuts already and private industries have to provide a lot of the basic services which governments previously did. And doing a one time sale of property is a very short sighted way of reducing inflation, it might slow it down a tiny bit temporarily but the things that cause the inflation to be high in the first place is still there.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why is it smarter to eat fruits and veggies than to instead take a multivitamin and fiber supplement?

It'd be cheaper for me and I'm about to start a cut phase for lifting, and I'm assuming it's smarter to eat fruits and veggies than... Well I assume you read the title.

[Assistant] While we've discovered and studied a number of compounds that are important to our bodies and classified them as "vitamins" and estimated how much you should eat, the reality is that our bodies and our diets are much more complex. A vegetable contains thousands of different compounds, and we still don't understand what sorts of benefits our bodies might get from many of them. Basically, edible plants are more than just the list of vitamins and minerals you might read on a nutritional label. There's a ton of other stuff in there that our biology evolved along side of.


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

[User]
Why do horses get put down when they break their leg?

When a human or a dog or a cat breaks their leg, they just put it in a cast for a few months, why doesn't this happen with horses? Is it because they are too big to be able to put weight on their leg in the future?

[Assistant]
Not a horse owner, but grew up around them:

You can mend a horses leg and keep it alive, but it wont be same. The horse wont run as fast or be as confident. You might not be able to do any jumps or off-the-path walking anymore. Essentially the horse is useless for anything except companionship. You should also know that horses are, in layman terms, fucking expensive.


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

[User]
[One Piece] If I'm a marine in the navy and I find a devil fruit, what are the rules concerning it?

Cam I just eat it straight away? Do I have to bring it to a person in charge and let them have it? Do I have to show it to a researcher first? What happens if I don't tell anyone and eat it as soon as I find it? Can I keep it myself and sell it for a huge price?

[Assistant]
There are no standing orders regarding them, because they're so rare. People with abilities are quite valuable (and dangerous,) so the government is generally tolerant with them. If you were to find one and eat it right away, you probably wouldn't be punished.

Of course, if you were under direct orders to retrieve one and return it to your commanding officer, you would be court-martialed (or just given a slap on the wrist if you proved to have an exceptionally useful ability.)


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

[User]
Embarrassing question but... what does it mean to "present a paper, " exactly?

I'm applying for a conference and it has two options: poster presentation or paper presentation.

Obviously, I would prefer to give a talk instead of doing a poster, so I need to choose the paper presentation option. The website says that I should submit an abstract (they request a LONG abstract -- around 1000 words). The website further says that all abstracts will be published online, and a selection of them will be published as an edited book.

**My question:** does "presenting a paper" in this context mean the paper should already be written? I would love to write it up as a full paper for them, but for purposes of applying, they're only asking for the longish abstract. Am I correct in understanding I can apply for and give a talk that is a "paper presentation" without the full paper actually existing yet?

Thanks!

[Assistant]
This differs by field a bit as well.

In our field it's normally oral vs poster presentation, with oral being a talk (with powerpoint slides) that describes a substantial piece of work that either exists as a paper or you intend to publish as a paper.


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

[User]
(ASOIAF) If sometime around the end of AGOT and the beginning of ACOK Robb Stark and the Northmen had simply seceded and retreated North rather than marching south to recover Sansa, would they have been successful?

Would any of the Crown's armies have been able to bring the North back into the fold? I know that in AGOT Cersei lectured Joffrey on the futility of trying to do so, but was she correct? Note: I'm not asking if Daenerys could do so; obviously dragons would have a massive impact on the outcome. I'm just asking if the combined might of the Lannisters and whomever else they could bring to their side would have been enough to reconquer the North.

[Assistant] It would be quite an undertaking for the Southern Kingdoms to try and bring the North back through force alone. Armies could easily be cut off at the neck so marching on the North would be very difficult. A navy might help to capture some of the coastal cities but that stills leaves a lot of inland territory. The North is just massive. The Southern Kingdoms might be able to do it but they would face incredible loses not to mention if they tried this during the winter they would be screwed. Keep in mind the North was the next to last territory to be brought into the Seven Kingdoms in the first place and that took dragons so without the dragons it would be pretty futile.


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

[User] [DC or Marvel] Who are the strongest heroes or villains that people haven't normally heard of?

[Assistant]
There are stronger characters, but Booster Gold is dubbed the Greatest Hero you've never heard of. His story is the story of a narcissist jerk (who only got into the hero gig by stealing future tech and travel back in time) who would then become humble and help people through the time stream, with the catch being nobody could know that it was him who helped them, completely going against what he started out as - just a jerk who wanted fame and publicity.

The technology Booster possesses is quite powerful, the force fields protects him from all sorts of crazy stuff like surviving hits from Trigon and various planetary level destruction. The gloves blasters can also pack a punch too, since it uses the same energy source as the shield.

At one point in his story, Booster also became the Waverider, which is like a sort of powerful cosmic time god that protects the time stream and all that jazz.


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

[User] Would heavy unstable elements at the core of a star have a significantly extended half-life due to gravity?

[Assistant] If you think of gravitational time dilation: No. It's a tiny effect for stars, just a few parts in a million. Instead of 1 second the lifetime (as seen from far away) is now 1.000005 seconds or something like that (with the exact number depending on the star) - not a big deal.


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

[User]
ELI5: How much money do retail stores spend on credit card transactions?

I've always wondered how credit processing fees effect large businesses (and various size businesses).  Here in Oregon we have very large grocery store that does not accept credit cards.  It also seems more and more common for gas stations to have cash prices different from credit prices.  I carry cash for small purchases like a soda from a minimart, but how does it add up for the store owner if I use my credit card for my $1.50 purchases?

So I guess a perspective for my question is how much can a company save (assuming sales are unaffected) if they do not take credit cards?

[Assistant]
I'd like to address the last part of your request:

> how much can a company save if they do not take credit cards?

The other commenters have done a great job explaining credit card transaction fees, but the answer to this particular piece of your question is quite subjective and somewhat intangible.  Businesses save money *per transaction* by accepting only cash - there's no doubt about that.  This is a great business model for your local ice cream parlor, barber shop, or small business where they tailor to a specific community.  Here's the kicker - how many transactions/customers are you losing because you only accept cash?  Many people carry little to no cash in today's digitally-driven world and therefore don't patronize cash-only businesses.  Businesses therefore need to plan accordingly, whether by having cash-specific prices (gas stations), minimum electronic transaction amounts (popular in bars/pubs), or pricing products/services accordingly to cover the expected transaction fees.  Credit card companies have obviously figured this out and have made themselves indispensable, ingraining themselves into the global economy and introducing strategic new products (cash back rewards, frequent flyer miles, etc.) and services (fraud protection, purchase protection, global helpline, etc.).  Hope this helps!


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

[User]
[Portal] How sharp are the edges of portals?

Say you step directly between a portal and another, How sharp is the edge between them?

[Assistant]
They're surrounded by a small gravity field that keeps you from cutting yourself on them and also generates the pretty orange and blue colours. When the portal closes on something, the field changes shape to move that object and prevent it being chopped in half. Some versions of the gun extend the field a few meters straight out from the portal mouth (in a very diffuse form, obviously) to make it easier for falling objects to pass through the portal without hitting the edges.

It's based on the same tech as the tractor beams and floating platforms Aperture was experimenting with. If you put your hand on one, you'll feel a mild repulsion, like a magnet pushing you away. Try to force past that, and the more intense repulsion will feel rather like an invisible frictionless surface about a centimeter above the portal's edge. You can't actually touch the portal's edge without modifying the portal gun, which is a good thing, since it's really damn sharp.

The reasoning behind them is that when you're testing the response of test subjects to deadly lasers, you don't want them getting sliced in half by anything other than the deadly lasers. Unless that's also part of the test.


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

[User]
Why is a fast reentry from space back to earth a better option than a slow decent?

I've always wondered why the SOP for reentry into Earth is a fast decent when it requires a incredibly important heat shield on the shuttle, and if said heat shield is damages then the astronauts lives are is danger. I'm guessing that the reason the heat shield is needed is because of the friction with the atmosphere at high speeds during reentry is causing it, so I wonder why a slow decent isn't better than a fast one.

[Assistant] Well, two issues, spacecraft in orbit are already moving at orbital speed, which is 7.8 KPS for LEO, and varies depending on the orbit. So, that speed has to be scrubbed in order for the spacecraft to intersect the surface at nearly zero velocity, otherwise, its a crash. The most efficient way to scrub that speed is by friction with the air. A powered descent (Like the Apollo LEM) is possible, but that would require lifting massive amounts of fuel into orbit to make it happen, which means much larger rockets for launch, etc...


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

[User]
How is radiation "cleaned up" after a major nuclear disaster?

I know in disasters such as the ones at Chernobyl and Fukushima emergency workers are sent to the site, but what exactly is it they do, and what CAN they actually do in areas such as the vicinity of the reactor core?

[Assistant]
There's not really a whole lot, chemically, that scientists can do. They have mechanical ways to clean up radiation (storing debris, collecting and disposing of highly contaminated soil). They also monitor ground water, and in the case of Fukushima, they monitor the levels of radioactivity found in ocean life. This tells us if it's safe to eat, and protects humans from some of the side effects of a nuclear disaster.

Other than these simple methods, it's a waiting game. Some of the radioactive elements have a short life, while some with high half-lives and may take thousands or millions of years to decompose. It's why most nuclear facilities are highly regulated.


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

[User]
ELI5: How did Switzerland stay out of WWII?

Austrian is already literally penetrating them, and they are in between the axis and France.  How did they resist being invaded and stay neutral?

[Assistant]
First realize Switzerland had no specific resources needed by anyone. They are resource poor.

They also have a history of having a strong self defense ability. Every man was a trained soldier with a rifle stored in his home. Those mountains are honeycombed with tunnels and defensive firing positions. They had no great strategic value and were literally to tough to be worth a symbolic conquest.


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

[User]
ELI5:Why do TV shows take seemingly random breaks in the middle of a season?

I understand if there's something big on (sports, Oscar's, Presidential address, etc.) that would divert views. But it seems like it happens a lot, and for other reasons. Doesn't this inconsistency hurt views?

[Assistant]
The season consists of more weeks than there are episodes in a standard season buy (20-26, depending on the network). While ratings are kept all year, ad rates are typically set during the "sweeps" periods in which larger samples are collected: November, February and May (and the summer sweeps in July).

TV seasons are timed to begin shortly before the November sweeps, in order to give new shows a shot a building some audience and increasing their ratings and therefore their profitability.  They end with the May sweeps, so that the ratings are being set during big, season-ending content in which they pull out all the stops.  February is the time midseason where you see shocking plot twists, big guest stars, etc.

The higher the ratings during this period, the more money the shows make.  It's in the network's interest to break up the seasons so they can keep viewers watching for 30ish weeks while still buying the lowest number of episodes they can get away with.


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

[User]
CMV: The Witcher 3 would have been a better game without levels

Warning: This post contains minor spoilers

Witcher 3 is a game where players adopt the role of Geralt, a Witcher, on his journey to save Ciri, his adoptive daughter and ultimately the World. It's a RPG with classical RPG elements such as dialogue choices, a level mechanic, some character customisation (via skills, gear, haircuts, playstyle etc.) and an open world to explore and interact with.

I am quite fond of this game, I have completed it twice and I am currently re-playing it because of a recent patch.

On to the issue: I believe this game would have been better without the level mechanic. Here are my arguments:

* From a lore perspective, levels don't make much sense. Geralt is already fully trained - this is supposed to be his final adventure after which he retires. He is supposedly over 90 years old. Not saying one can't teach an old dog new tricks, but having the progression start at Level 1 seems silly. In his earlier adventures, Geralt fought a Dragon, and now a pack of rabid dogs are giving him a hard time?
* Fairly at the beginning of the game, after the player leaves the tutorial section, Geralt is given 3 leads as to where to go look for Ciri. The 3 leads refer to 3 different areas on the map, and it's suggested that it is up to the player where to go first. The 3 leads are basically circular and the order in which they are followed doesn't affect the outcome. But because there are levels, and enemies also do have levels, the order is more or less restricted, as in the player does A first, then B, then C. The restriction feels arbitrary, especially since there actually is dialogue for going to C first, yet given the level situation, no one does that.
* Gear also has levels, as in Geralt must have reached level X before he is able to use Sword Y, and once Geralt's level surpasses the level(s) of his gear too much, the need arises to switch to some higher level gear. From a logic perspective, this doesn't make a huge lot of sense to me, especially since Geralt can find the same sword multiple times, but with different levels. It's hard to wrap my head around how 2 of the same things can be so different, Geralt simply doesn't know how to use one of them. A sword is a sword, and Geralt at that age should know where to stick the pointy end.
* One might think levels in this game are required to prevent the player from reaching certain spots on the map so to not find things they aren't supposed to find etc. But that is not the case, some late game areas are walled of behind story progression points and are impossible to reach earlier. The player can not break the game for themselves by going anywhere on the map at any point, and in many cases the game even foresees this unlikely event and has extra dialogue in place for the special case that the player has already done a thing before getting the quest for it.
* The developers were seemingly aware of a bunch of problems the level system introduced, and tried to mitigate these problems. For example, to prevent the problem that Geralt outlevels his enemies, an optional system was introduced that scales lower level enemies up to Geralt's level so there is still a challenge. Another example refers to the gear: there are a few special Witcher armor sets the player can find, and the player then can further find schematics to upgrade said Armor so it "grows" with Geralt to some degree and doesn't become useless after a short while. To prevent the player from needing to grind or from being able to level up "too quickly", experience is mostly gained via main quests and not side missions or various optional content.

Now to be fair, the game gives you an option to play it without levels. It's a bit convoluted - if you play on PC, you can download a save from a Mod page that allows you to start a New Game Plus at level 100, which is the maximum level. In that case, Geralt can no longer level up further, all the enemies and gear are in a reasonable level range, and all the armor sets are also scaled to level 100 and therefore remain equally good choices that come down to play style and preference only. Console players might now also be able to do that, now that save sharing is possible, or by grinding and grinding up to level 100 before starting a New Game Plus (not recommended).

I have played New Game Plus with a level 100 save before, and it was very eye opening. It was an overall better experience - the open world truly feels open, and the frustration the level system introduced are gone. But here is the problem: for a new player, level 100 Geralt might be not a good choice because it may be overwhelming and confusing, not to mention it's a New Game Plus, so Geralt not only starts with everything specced out, but also with a heap of cash and some end-game items, taking away this kind of progression from a new player.

Overall, my opinion is that this game would have been better without levels. This might or might not apply to other RPG's too - levels are a cheap way of giving a player a sense of progression, but in this specific case it feels so arbitrary and out of place I believe The Witcher 3 would have been a better game without it. Change my view please.

[Assistant]
> Fairly at the beginning of the game, after the player leaves the tutorial section, Geralt is given 3 leads as to where to go look for Ciri. The 3 leads refer to 3 different areas on the map, and it's suggested that it is up to the player where to go first. The 3 leads are basically circular and the order in which they are followed doesn't affect the outcome. But because there are levels, and enemies also do have levels, the order is more or less restricted, as in the player does A first, then B, then C. The restriction feels arbitrary, especially since there actually is dialogue for going to C first, yet given the level situation, no one does that.

I don't think that's a problem with the level system itself, rather that the game didn't bother to scale the enemies in those areas relative to your level, which would have easily fixed this.


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

[User] [Avatar: The Last Airbender] Why did the Dai Li betray the Earth Kingdom?

[Assistant] The Dai Li were never for the Earth Kingdom in the first place....they were only interested in holding and retaining power for themselves, to the point where the Earth King was their puppet. Azulas infiltration of Ba Sing Se made them realize they could no longer hold off the Fire Nation, but she convinced them that they would continue to rule the Earth Kingdom as a client state of the Fire Nation. Basically like the Vichy regime.