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

[User]
[Star Trek Voyager] Why not train more people to be medics?

So there they are, stranded 70 years from home with only an EMH to provide medical care. He does teach Kes some, but that is not a long term plan. Since her lifespan is under 10 years. After she leaves he pulls Tom Paris into service. That is not a good plan.

I am sure the crew records would show who has sown aptitude for the medical sciences, even if they never pursued it. The Captain would have the authority to tell Ensign Jones who is a Biologist that they are now to report for medical training.

With the holodeck and Doctor they should be able to set up their own form of medical school. They have a 70 years trip ahead of them. They had better get started. They have the time to train people.

Even with a limited crew size you would think having medical personal would be a TOP priority. If anything happens to The Doctors program they would be SOL.

[Assistant] Well the Holodeck needed to be available for Paris and Torres date night and WWII shenanigans.  It may have been explained but why didn't The Doctor bring the EMH Mark II (Andy Dick) back to Voyager from the Prometheus?


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

[User]
How do scientists measure the temperature when trying to get to absolute zero?

Wouldn't the act of measuring the temperature produce heat and how do they get accurate enough to measure it to within a billionth of absolute zero?

[Assistant]
At ultra cold scales, you can use indirect methods of measuring temperature, such as measuring electrical resistance, which can change predictably (if not in direct proportion) with temperature. Also, anything that has a temperature above absolute zero emits blackbody radiation. This is how we measure the temperature of gas clouds in space.  Doing this on earth would be challenging to measure against the brighter background of a warmer and therefore brighter environment.

At really super incredibly cold temperatures, such as those inside a bose-einstein condensate, you can measure the fraction of atoms in the condensate that are not in their ground state with a laser pulse, where absolute zero is where every atom is at its minimum possible energy.

I'd be interested in what someone who actually measures these temperatures does, though.


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

[User]
Why does Calculus use dx to represent the change in x when other areas of science, such as physics, use delta-x?

I'm taking a Calculus class this year along with a physics class and dx and delta-x seem to represent the same thing. Why are there two different symbols used (d vs. delta)? Is there even a reason?

[Assistant]
They are two different things.

If you have a function, f(x), and two values of x, say x*_1_* and x*_2_*, then f is equal to f(x*_2_*)-f(x*_1_*). In particular,  f/x is equal to (f(x*_2_*)-f(x*_1_*))/(x*_2_*-x*_1_*). Mathematically, since x*_1_* and x*_2_* are different, then they are "far" apart. No matter how close they are, there is still space in between them where lots of stuff can happen.

df/dx is the *limit* of f/x as both x*_1_* and x*_2_* approach the same point. This is fundamentally different from f/x, because limits are involved. In particular, we lose the problem of there being space between the points, at the cost of not knowing what is happening at any point different from x.

However, if the limit df/dx exists, then by the definition of limits, if we're okay with some fixed error, then there will always be some x*_1_* and x*_2_* so that f/x approximates df/dx within that error. That is f/x  df/dx, where the difference is within some acceptable error. This follows directly from  the epsilon-delta definition of limits (which is probably the most important thing to take away from a calculus course).

As for things like dx and df, you don't really need them. Their actual definition is very abstract and pretty much anytime you see them in physics or engineering, they are used wrong and the expression could be stated differently without them. Anytime you see or use "dx" in a physics or engineering course, take it with a grain of salt because it's probably not representative of what dx should be. For uses in these classes, you can take dx to mean the x so that x*_1_* and x*_2_* are close enough so that f/x  df/dx within an acceptable error. This isn't what dx actually is, at all, but it's how it is used in these courses.

**EDIT**: It should be emphasized that df/dx is *not* "df divided by dx", it is a limit of f/x and this limit cannot be broken up into a fraction of limits. With the actual definitions of df and dx, you cannot get df/dx by dividing df by dx (division doesn't even make sense for these objects, it's more subtle than that). df/dx is just the notation we use for derivatives, we could always just use f'(x), never even mention dfs or dxs ever in a Calculus 1 or 2 course and we wouldn't miss a thing.


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

[User]
[halo universe] how accurate was the description of spartans being antisocial during downtime and if there were exceptions to spartans actually interracting with the general public/other personnel?

In the halo 4 intro, it was mentioned how spartans struggled with basic humanity and social interactions.  I was curious to what extent is this accurate.

[Assistant]
The Spartan II's were raised from early childhood in a heavily controlled military environment. It makes perfect sense that other than military decorum that they would not be able to adjust in normal social situations. Especially since they mostly interacted with each other or instructors for most of their lives.

In the Silver timeline (TV show), Spartan II's have implants that control their emotional state, removing the normal human need for social interactions. This causes them to not "waste" time with their off time spent training. We see this very clearly when Kai-125 removes her implant and then starts to interact more directly with the Marines on the base.


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

[User] eli5: why does soap get more "soapy" in hot water and disappear in cold water?

[Assistant]
Hot things have more energy. More energy means things tend to want to move more. The soap particles will disperse faster in the water because of this and when the soap is spread out, it's "soapy water".

It happens in cold water too, it's just that the soap is a bit more clumpy and not as evenly spread.


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

[User] Would the magnetic field created by a maglev train disrupt a passengers pacemaker if they had one?

[Assistant]
For the german equivalent, the Transrapid, the manufacturer states that the magnetic field inside of the train is about 100 microTesla. For comparison: the natural field of planet earth is 48 microTesla here in Europe.

Additional info: Between the rails and the train itself, the field is about 500 milliTesla strong.


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

[User]
ELI5: What is "Symmetry" in Physics?

I understand the concept of symmetry in geometry, but what do theoretical physicists mean when they speak of symmetry?

[Assistant]
Well that depends on the context because it can mean many things. A big issue with physics, though, is a specific kind of symmetry known as CPT Symmetry.

C stands for charge, P stands for parity, and T stands for time.

For C-symmetry, if you were to take every particle and swap it with its antiparticle (electrons for positrons, protons for anti-protons, etc.) then nothing changes.

For P-symmetry, if you were to physically mirror the universe along any of the three spatial axes, then nothing changes.

For T-symmetry, if you were to reverse the direction of time, then nothing changes.

You can consider these symmetries individually, or in combination with each other.

For example, some system might not be C-symmetric or P-symmetric but might be CP-symmetric. That is, if you *just* swap every particle for its antiparticle *or* mirror it along some spatial axis, then it is different, but if you do both, then nothing changes. This would be called CP-symmetry.

Currently, the universe, on the whole, isn't C, P, or T symmetric. And it isn't symmetric for any combination of two of them. But it is believed to be symmetric for all three, known as CPT-symmetry. So if you were to replace every particle in the universe for its anti-particle *and* mirror it about a spatial axis *and* reverse the direction of time, then it would appear the same as this universe.


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

[User]
ELI5: how do countries repay their debts ?

If almost all countries are indebted and they can't repay their debts, why not just start from scratch with 0 debts for everyone ?

[Assistant]
>If almost all countries are indebted and they can't repay their debts

Your premise is wrong. While most countries do have some level of debt, they can pay it off. There's nothing "bad" about debt, unless you can't afford to pay it back.

>why not just start from scratch with 0 debts for everyone ?

They do. It's called a default. However, defaulting causes a lot of problems- your money becomes worthless (which makes life for your citizens hard, especially the ones who loaned you money). It also means even if you start with new money, no one is going to trust you for a while - why should they, you didn't pay back last time? It's not any different than being the guy at work asking to borrow $5 and never paying it back.

Even if you aren't in debt with the new money, it's going to be worth junk. The thing that gives money value is trust. If no one is willing to take your new dollar, you're still in a bad spot.

Eventually, your new currency will probably be cheap enough that people will use it, but not after doing massive damage to your country and economy.


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

[User]
[Marvel/MCU] Why do so many 'advanced' civilizations use melee weaponry?

**[SPOILER WARNING]: MINOR spoilers for Captain Marvel**

In our world, armies have gone from using swords, spears, and shields to using guns and firearms as the technology has improved. Nowadays, no wars are fought with melee weapons.

However, there's a lot of advanced civilizations that use melee and ranged weapons equally, some even using blades over guns. My question is why? What benefit does using swords and spears give that an advanced, sometimes even space-faring civilization would want?

For a few examples of civilizations I'm talking about:

- Wakanda: Their vibranium weapons sometimes shoot lasers, but their armies are mostly kitted out with swords and spears

- Asgard: The Asgardian army fights with mostly swords and shields, again sometimes fitted with ranged capabilities (Odin's spear) but never any guns. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif both also fight with swords, axes, and a flail.

- Kree: Ronan used a hammer, some of Captain Marvel's old Starforce teammates used swords and knives, and many of the Kree in Agent's of SHIELD's dystopian alternate future use blades, even calling modern firearms "primitive weaponry"

I'm mostly avoiding pointing at singular characters who prefer melee to range, like Thor, Gamora, Drax, Bobbi Morse, Loki, Black Widow, I'd even put Hawkeye in here (a bow is ranged but still not as advanced as a gun - at least tech wise). When it's a single character, it could just come down to personal preference, skill, or the fact that their weapon is much more powerful than an average version. It's different than a civilization arming their entire army with swords.

So, why do many advanced civilizations prefer to use melee weaponry for their armies instead of an army based on ranged firearms?

[Assistant]
The implication is that after a further advance in arms and armor, ranged weapons again become mostly obsolete and a better kind of melee weapon again becomes more powerful.

Using Asgard as an example, they do have ranged weapons but you can see that they don't get much done against most anyone.  Your average warrior can hit harder than any bullet can, so they don't use bullets, they use swords that incorporate really advance materials and tech.

Wakanda seems to be a bit of a different situation, but it shows.  They do have quite a few variants on ranged weapons in their arsenal, including cool hover-fighters and whatnot.  That said, their primary defensive posture is one of security through secrecy.  Because of that their standing armies are largely ceremonial and meant for defending against the other tribes, which again everybody has vibranium armor, so guns are of limited use.


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

[User]
CMV: Manual labor is more fulfilling than an office job

When its nice outside I often get to enjoy it, when its super shitty out I stay home.   My place of work is always changing.  The objectives and tasks make sense almost 100% of the time.  Instead of busy work there is grunt work which really isnt so bad, if you havent dug a hole in well your whole life, give it a shot.

Working at a desk increases your risk of heart attack by 50%

I dont have to talk to anybody I dont want to 99% of the time.

My job is a workout,  I wasnt a fat kid but I did have a little soda & video game gut when I was young,  but now my life is so active I cant even gain weight when I try to.  I would have to go to the gym 20hrs a week to get the metabolism I have now if I worked at a desk.

When you complete something wether its cleaning an apartment or building a brick wall, you see the results of your efforts and it is rewarding to see your accomplishment.  There are lots of ways to get fulfillment out of working but seeing the tangible results and the excitement and approval of a customer is its own reward.

Ive never received a memo,  I dont have to kill time, and Ive never been forced to sit in some meeting that could be considered a form of torture.  Actually not true, I did get a job with a insurance restoration company which didnt last long because they liked having safety meetings where they talked to us like we were 12 and made us answer extremely simple questions in order to get through it, which they got a kick back for doing, not because they cared about us working safe.  This is my one experience with office culture which I quickly escaped from.

At the end of the movie office space, the happy ending is the main character getting a construction job.

If you can acquire any basic skill, painting, cleaning, landscaping, or something else. You can go into business for yourself and if you do decent work every job completed usually leads to more work from that costumer or their friends.   You may have to subcontract first which isnt the best money, but once you gain the confidence to be your own boss or find a good crew to work with that actually rewards good work you can make well over 25hr.  Jobs pay differently depending on many things but Ive made 100hr on various gigs many times and its because Ive done the legwork to be worth it.

Im constantly learning things and being challenged by aspects of my work.  While at the same time I am often free to engage my mind in a podcast or music while I get things done.

I only work 9 months out of the year.

I could really go on but I guess i should say Ive never had an office job, but I have friends who do and it sounds like a draining version of adult daycare half the time followed by a host of middle management whose job is basically to be annoying.  Or you are middle management in which case your job is both to be annoying and to be scolded for not being annoying enough.

The only exception I would expect is in small businesses that might have a different dynamic if there is good leadership and communication.   Im primarily addressing the issues of a larger 50+ person offices and the corporate office politics which seem to have the ability to slowly drain the life out of someone.

The short of it: change my view by painting a picture of how an office job is enjoyable and explain to me how my perceptions are merely stereotypes which get played up.  My general view is that doing remedial tasks that engage your body are more rewarding than remedial tasks which do not engage your mind in any compelling way but rather try your patience and drain your energy.

[Assistant]
"office job" and "manual labor" are such broad categories that any comparison between them becomes meaningless.

Is a factory worker manual labor, and would you find it equally fulfilling? What about sewer inspector? Coal miner?

Is a doctor an office job? A teacher? A software developer? A civil engineer might spend time in both an office and outside at construction sites. Are these all office jobs? Do your critiques of office jobs apply to all of them?

Being more specific would be really helpful. Otherwise, you and commenters won't agree on basic terms.


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

[User]
Is it really possible to cancel student debt in the US?

Sure anything is possible, but is it without harm? How could that be canceled in a way that wouldnt have adverse impacts on anyone involved in the financial system - consumers or providers.

[Assistant]
Not directly harming any private owner of student loans is pretty easy, the government owns most student loans and the government can just decide to forgive them and decide to pay out anything owed. Essentially it's not that difficult if the government would just act as if everyone paid off their loans immediately and the government incurs the cost.

That's not the issue though.

Who benefits from student loan forgiveness? Anyone who currently owes student loans. Who incurs the cost? Literally everybody else. Blanket student loan forgiveness means you are giving handouts to the rich, lawyers, doctors, engineers, or at the very least future lawyers, doctors and engineers. Going to college on average roughly *doubles* your lifetime earnings. These are not really the people in need of government handouts!

If you want to forgive student loans, there isn't really a good argument to just forgive all of them for everybody. At least you should target it at the people who actually struggle because of these loans and will continue to struggle in the future.


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

[User]
ELI5: Do low gas prices (such as ~$1.50 like today) have any negative connotations in regards to the global economy?

Conversely, do high gas prices have any positive connotations? Do lower gas prices usually mean the global economy is doing better/more stable?

[Assistant] We have low gas prices because of cheap oil due to massive supply (the U.S. actually EXPORTED oil last month for example) and the removal of price floors due to the OPEC collapse. Cheaper energy = cheaper things. However, the fact that oil dropped so much in a short amount of time hides the more important underlying issue that there is not much demand. Why? Because the world economy is slowing and another recession is looming.


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

[User] ELI5: even if the a country like France "closes its borders", what's to stop immigrants from just crossing at a deserted field?

[Assistant] Sometimes there is literally nothing stopping a person from doing that. Other times there are things like fences, border patrols, or video surveillance. The levels of border control depend on the country, length of the border, specific location, and the security concerns of the moment. Often a border may be monitored or tightly controlled in specific, easy to access locations, and ignored in remote, hard to access areas.


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

[User] Why, in some cases, do animals take care of young humans who have been abandoned?

[Assistant]
Most of the time, feral children are raised by social animals. The animals are capable of recognizing the value of a human: in the case of a feral girl in Ukraine (raised by wild dogs), the dogs certainly understood that she could get them food.

Additionally, the feeling of "cuteness" is probably an evolved trait: neoteny has been favored throughout evolutionary history (humans, domestication of dogs, even the evolution of birds). Cuteness evolved to use neoteny as a way to preserve survival among hostile animals and to preserve the bond between parent and offspring. Some animals are so evolved to be cute that they can sway even non-related animals.


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

[User] ELI5: Why is US postage the same for 2 miles and 2000 miles?

[Assistant]
The transit distance isn't the main cost, it's the overall infrastructure of the postal system.

Whether or not a single piece of mail gets sent from Orlando to Miami or from Orlando to Seattle, the mail truck from Orlando to Miami and the plane from Orlando to Seattle are still going to make that trip every day. As are thousands of other vehicles going on routes. That extra mail won't add a fraction of a cent to the operating cost of either vehicle, but in the aggregate they do cause wear on the equipment, and the equipment requires maintenance, and people to operate it, and other expenses that generally get incurred in running the postage system.

Where you start to see higher rates are in places where that isn't the case - either a courier service that charters a vehicle to deliver something, large deliveries that require special trips, things like that - that is where you get more expensive delivery fees.


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

[User] [MCU] Redskull has the Tesseract during WW2, while experimenting with it he breaks it and finds the Space Stone that's inside of it. How does the MCU evolve from there?

[Assistant]
A surge of energy washes through the room, blasting Schmidt through the bay window overlooking the Alps and irradiating Arnim Zola.  Hearing the explosion, Nazi-HYDRA foot soldiers rush into the room.  They find Zola staggering to his feet, glowing pulses of energy flowing from his body.

"Herr Doktor, are...are you okay?" one of them asks.

Zola looks down at crackling bolts emanating from his hands in amazement.  After a moment he replies.  "I...feel...marvelous!" he yells.

To punctuate his sentence another smaller surge blasts from his body, knocking the soldiers off their feet.  As they struggle to stand again, Zola begins to laugh maniacally.  "MARVELOUS!!!"

Meanwhile, high above, Howard Stark is piloting a modified DC-3.  Sparks leap from his control panel as the energy pulse from the ground flows through the plane.  He fights with the stick for a few moments before gaining control.

Captain Steve Rogers leans into the cockpit from the cargo area, "What's going on?  Anti-aircraft fire?" he asks.

Stark busily checks his instruments.  With a somber expression he makes a grave prediction.  "I think HYDRA may have just come up with a new weapon."

Steve frowns.  "I'd better get down there and see what they're up to, then," he says.

Far below, in a deep snow-filled crag, a battered and bloodied hand reaches up and grabs a boulder.  Schmidt's bruised face gazes up the cliff at the castle perched high atop.  He sees blue lights flickering through the windows.

"So, Herr Doktor, you have betrayed me," he says, clenching his red hand into a fist.  "Ve shall see who emerges victorious.  Ja, ve shall see."


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

[User] Are there viruses who can replicate in the human body without damage?

[Assistant]
Techniicaalllyyy. Going off of the wording of the question, one could argue that bacteriophages inside your gut would qualify. These are a couple different orders of viruses that exclusively infect bacteria, and as such are not going to interfere with any of your human cells, causing damage.

They're found basically everywhere on earth, (including your gut microbiome) and are thought to number ~10. More than all living organisms combined on earth! They are absolutely fascinating to learn about

HOWEVER the gut microbiome is a unique ecosystem, so there is the argument that the death of too much "good bacteria" from phages killing may result in indirect damage from causes such as pathogenic bacteria over-extending their welcome in the gut. But the vast majority of people are going to have phages happily multiplying inside them to maintain a healthy balance of bacteria to keep that gut in check.

.


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

[User]
ELI5: How did the term "getting stoned" become synonymous with getting high?

Being stoned, in the literal sense, does not seem to be enjoyable.

[Assistant] I asked this exact question to a college roommate who was high at the time. He looked me dead in the eye from the place on the couch from which he hadn't moved all day, motioned with his hand from his head to his toes, and said "like a rock".


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

[User]
[Marvel] What is the Hulk?

I understand he's a personality, one of many. However that doesn't explain his physical appearance. Is he a mutated human? A monster of another species? Is he his own species? What is his race called if he's not human, and how did he come to inhabit Banner's body and mind?

[Assistant]
He is a Mutate.

It's a separate, undetectable gene from a mutant gene. With mutants, the mutation is triggered typically by puberty. With a mutate, an event triggers the change - be it a radiation event in space, a genetically modified spider.... or getting hit by a gamma bomb.


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

[User] Are any radioactive elements or isotopes no longer radioactive when part of a molecule?

[Assistant] I think we can safely say that the answer here is no. The reason is that nuclear reactions and chemical bonds exist on vastly different energy scales. For example, a typical chemical bond is in the range of a few electronvolts (eV). On the other hand, when a nucleus decays, that can release several MeV of energy. The M there stands for mega, which means that you have a million times more energy! As a result, it is almost impossible for a chemical bond to somehow provide enough stabilization to prevent a nucleus from being radioactive. In fact, to a very good approximation the rate of nuclear decay can usually taken to be independent of the chemical environment.


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

[User]
How would universal healthcare affect the job market?

I've always been told when job hunting to look for benefits package, not just the salary. I know health insurance (and vision/dental) are not the only aspects of a benefits package, but they're a major one. Would the view just skew more towards salary? And would salaries overall increase since they're not paying for employees' healthcare anymore?

[Assistant] There's some evidence that employer provided health insurance decreases labor mobility because workers are afraid to lose their insurance even if their total compensation would increase if they switched jobs.


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

[User]
Buffy - How do all the vampires Buffy encounters know pretty advanced hand to hand combat?

With the exception of the occasional swift staking that happens, the majority of the un-dead are pretty handy with... well... their hands.

[Assistant]
The majority? The majority in Sunnydale tend to get staked within days or hours of rising. They aren't good.

Generally they aren't that skilled - most of them tend to grab and throw people around. They're reveling in their new strength but they don't have any finesse. Slayer-fu is mostly about responding to the kind of clumsy moves a newly superstrong asshole is going to make rather dealing with highly trained specialists.


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

[User]
ELI5: In statistics, why can't you sample a group larger than 10% of the whole?

I've been told that taking a sample larger than 10% of the population will be less accurate than say, taking a sample of 50% of the population. How does this work? To me it seems that, the more people you sample, the more accurate the study will be.

[Assistant] there is a certain ratio of cost to reliability. in theory it would be best to make a study on the whole population. but since that is near impossible and at least very costly we use samples. and there is a certain minimum sample you need for the sake of accuracy. depending on the size of population, method of picking for sample and so on, you achieve a number that is the minimum. A bigger sample should be more accurate, the closer you get to the number of all of the population.. You will usually go with somewhere close to the minimum (not less, sometimes slightly more) because of cost.


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

[User]
[Dark Souls] Is the Age of Dark truly good for humanity?

Additionally, if the Ages are cyclical, does that mean that the location of the Gael fight wasnt the end of time and humanity, and that the process would begin anew eventually?

[Assistant]
Unfortunately we don't really know for certain, and if it *was* meant to be good for humanity then it no longer is.

Long story short, Gwyn prolonging the Age of Fire caused such a massive upset in the foundations of reality that it greatly upset the nature of the next Age. That's why the Darkness is so corrupting and hungry; it's merely trying to move onto it's cycle but fighting back against the waning flame is forcing the Age of Dark to take drastic measures.


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

[User] [Marvel] When Captain America wields the mjolnir, how big of a power boost does he get?

[Assistant] In Fear Itself when he picked up Mjolnir, he was able to throw it and have it return to his hand, as well as cast lightning from it, strong enough to clash with similarly hammer-empowered Sin. In general, this might be not *actual* Power of Thor, but pretty close.


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

[User]
[Star Wars] How would Vader and Luke go about taking out the Emperor?

Had Luke decided to join Vader while on Bespin, what would their plan be? How would they assassinate the Emperor? What would they do to ensure continuance if government?

[Assistant]
I've posited before that, as soon as Vader learned concretely that the pilot who destroyed the death star was his son, Vader planned on murdering Palpatine. After all, Palpatine's lies about Padme dying and taking the unborn child with her was what broke him as a human being, and left behind the superpowered puppet that eradicated the last of the known jedi. During the conversation on the Executor, Vader pleaded with Palpatine to make Luke into an ally, rather than kill him like all the others. So there was *something* there inside of Anakin even back then.

So it's possible that Vader would have absconded with Luke the instant he agreed to join Vader, and they would have gone somewhere Vader thought would be hidden from Palpatine's view. (perhaps Mortis?) There, Luke would have been fully trained in Vader's view of Sith philosophy, had his immense potential in the force unlocked, and forged into a weapon meant to kill one man.

And honestly, with the chosen one and his son, both of whom had potentially limitless abilities with the force so long as they believed in themselves and their power, they might have stood a good chance against the Emperor. I've also speculated that Luke had just as much potential power as Anakin, but without the glaring personality flaws that prevented him from fully committing. So if anyone in the galaxy had the raw power to defeat Palpatine in a stand-up duel, it would be Luke. (and also Leia, if she was ever trained)

As far as continuance of government, Anakin has always held a childishly naive view of power, and would have assumed things would run as they had for the last several decades. He might have assumed that he could maintain power by being tough, intimidating, and powered by the force. He would have been dead wrong.

Or, if he had matured since his talk with Padme about being cool with total dictatorships, he would leave the running of the Empire to the Grand Moffs or other group of leaders, and taken Luke somewhere secluded where they could delve deeper into the philosophy of the Sith and further their knowledge of the dark side.


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

[User] ELI5: Why is that people with good singing voices (Ariana Grande, Bruno Mars, Christina Aguilera) can imitate other voices or singers so easily?

[Assistant] One of the reasons is that some people simply have better control over their voice. A lot of people can impersonate someone and recognize what they're ding that sounds wrong, but lack the ability to fix it.


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

[User]
How come the rate of skin cancer has increased even though we spend less time in the sun than our ancestors?

Hi guys. My dad was spouting some crap about how the increase in skin cancer is due to the sunscreen itself, stating that previous generations would toil all day in the fields with no effect and yet  only recently the rates of skin cancer is increasing even though we get less sunlight. Google brings up answers that seem junk science at best. What's your take?

[Assistant]
I would like to see some confirmation that the rate of skin cancer is actually increased. If it is so, it could be because we're getting better at diagnosing it, or:

>previous generations would toil all day in the fields

... while wearing long sleeved shirts and hats.


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

[User] ELI5: When loading something, why does the progress bar often speed through the first 99% but stall on the last 1%?

[Assistant]
Often the progress bar is just a representation of the number of tasks or operations that are remaining (to be completed).

The problem is that some tasks/operations may be much more complex and time consuming than others and the progress bar often does not take this into account.

So if there are 100 tasks/operations to complete, the first 99 may be very simple and trivial (like change a setting here, change a variable value here, copy a small text file here, etc.) and the final operation may involve a complex set of steps like extracting a large number of files from a compressed archive or finalizing the installation and validating data integrity of all the files that were installed.

Sometimes the final step also involves some sort of external process/command that takes a while to respond and the installation program simply has to wait until the external process/command completes and returns a response.


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

[User]
[Godzilla] How would you describe his personality?

How would you describe their personality?

As in, if you could sit down and talk to G, if G's consciousness was transplanted into a human body and assuming they already have human level intellect, what would their personality be?

[Assistant] In a word, apathetic. Godzilla doesn't care for humanity, or the other kaijuu. He isn't there to protect us. He isn't there to defeat the other monsters. He isn't there to do sick kung-fu moves that defy gravity(though he sometimes does). He only is.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why does a company want to sell my personal info? To whom? For how much? What's the data even look like?

I keep reading that companies like Facebook, Google, and so many others like to collect our personal information to sell it. But to whom? What's that information even look like? Is it an Excel document that has my name and some columns with checkmarks confirming I watch porn and love video games? Who would buy that data and how much do they spend on it? How would they then use that data once they have it?

[Assistant]
So the big common misunderstanding is that Facebook, Google, and most large companies **don't** actually sell your personal information. Yes they collect it, but they don't sell it. Smaller and more unscrupulous companies will sell your data though, usually to email spammers.

The big guys instead collect it, research it, and both share the results of that research and use that research to build more targeted ads.

If some random company is like "I have a product for cat lovers, I'd love to buy some ads on facebook in front of people who like cats" Facebook can not only make *exactly that* happen for that company, they can also tell things like "people over 40 are more likely to click on these links" "surfers are more likely to click on these links" and stuff like that. So now you can put your ads for cat products in front of surfers too, since you know they're more likely to buy it than other demographics.

Knowing *what kind of person* wnats to buy your stuff is extremely important, because it lets you put the ads or the product right in front of the kind of people who are most likely to be your customers.


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

[User]
Isn't all human activity technically natural? Why do we classify it as something that seems out of this world?

The point I'm trying to imply is that humans were created by nature, and thereby humans using land to build homes is no different than a beaver building a dam, and a human building factories is no different than a bee creating a hive.

Why do we treat human activity like something so totally different, like land use, than animals have in the past?

By the way, is there a name for this viewpoint?

[Assistant]
This is almost exactly what John Stuart Mill says in his wonderful essay *On Nature*. He first points out that the term *natural* often connotes something positive or desirable -- something that we by default ought to respect. But he sees a dilemma with the concept of *nature* and thus with the normative force typically ascribed to it.

First, *natural* could mean anything that occurs outside of human activity. On this view, beavers making dams, bees creating hives, and birds preparing nests are all *natural* whereas the full range of human creation is unnatural. If we accept this, then there can be nothing normative about the term *natural* because it simply describes everything that occurs without human agency.

On the second view, *natural* refers to every part of nature -- including humans. In this case, everything we do would be seen as natural: building skyscrapers, designing houses, engineering bridges, and the like. Here, again, the concept of the *natural* carries no normative force, since it includes *everything* humans could possibly do, and thus makes no room for "natural" and "unnatural" activities.

If you haven't read *On Nature*, definitely find it online if you can. It's great!


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

[User]
How much does your PhD supervisors reputation impact how others view you and/or your job prospects?

I am a PhD candidate co-supervised by 2 professors (one senior, one very recent assistant prof) who work very closely together and have divisive reputations. I would describe them as radical. Some people adore them, while others find their highly non-traditional approaches (e.g. kind of rabble-rousers, intentionally publishing in non-academic journals, pushing the limits of the system) off-putting. Two (!!) committee members actually left the committee due to internal disagreements. Its been a little difficult logistically for me as a student, but Ive learned a lot and at this point Im almost done.

I admire and respect what they do, but am more mainstream. As I go on the job market, how much will hiring committees automatically associate me with them? Just curious if I should even bother applying to more conventional departments where their research might be seen as antagonistic.

TIA!

[Assistant] For jobs at research-focused, PhD-granting institutions, probably a moderate amount, but entirely dependent on how much your work looks like theirs. At all other institutions, probably doesn't matter at all unless "outside the mainstream" means controversial at the level of public discourse, i.e. racist, sexist, or dubiously ethical methods..


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

[User]
[Star Wars] Has Count Dooku expressed any hatred towards Maul for the slaying of his apprentice?

I wouldnt be surprised if Dooku deluded himself into thinking he could have turned Qui-Gon. Does he resent Maul for the part he played in his death? What about his master? Or, as a creature steeped in the Dark Side, does he simply brush it off as unfortunate. In the end they had no qualms working together in Son of Dathomir.

[Assistant] He sees maul as a deranged killer. Perfect for culling the Jedi but otherwise useless as a tool outside of murder. Qui gon's death was an unfortunate but necessary act. Dooku doesn't feel any animosity towards maul for the slaying specifically but does consider maul to be a wild animal and little better than a weapon to be discarded once used. Both men will work together when forced to but dooku treats it more as himself being superior and aiding or manipulating an inferior. Maul sees it as a chance to learn Sidious's new goals and potentially get close enough to kill the lesser sith lord should it present itself.


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

[User]
ELI5: How can Jeremy Hunt get away with imposing a new junior dr contract when something like 98% of medical professionals oppose it?

So as I'm sure people in the UK know by now, Jeremy Hunt has decided that negotiations are over and has imposed his new, extremely unpopular contract on junior doctors despite two strikes that have had the support of the majority of the general public.

Is there anything that the general public can actually do when they disagree with something the government is imposing?

[Assistant]
Basically, the legality of contracts are decided by the government and the laws they set. Minimum wage, for example, means that a contract can't be for less than that.

The Government simply changes the laws for contracts that affect junior doctors. Then, the hospitals can't draw up a legal contract if it doesn't adhere to those new terms.

In terms of the general public affecting a change like this, you had your chance in the 2015 election. Welcome to another 5 years of Tory rule.


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

[User] ELI5: If in the vacuum of space there are no exterior forces acing on a spacecraft, why can't we continuously speed up the craft to light speed with constant thrust?

[Assistant] It takes more and more energy to constantly accelerate a spacecraft. This means that as you approach C the amount of energy that you need to go faster approaches infinity. Sadly humans do not have access to infinite energy so we can never actually reach C.


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

[User]
[Star Wars] Why fix Vaders body instead of putting him in a suit?

Why didnt Palptine fix his body instead of putting him in a huge suit? Surely a ftl civilization has the tech to regrow limbs?

[Assistant] Given that Luke had to get a cyborg hand, that may not necessarily be the case. The Star Wars galaxy is advanced in many respects, but it seemed that they focused on droids and cyborgs and ignored other applications of applied biology.


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

[User]
[Harry Potter] Why didn't Dumbledore Help Harry More in his Formative Years?

Harry has to live at Privet Drive because of the protection there, but instead of leaving Harry to be abused and neglected for years, why didn't Dumbledore show up once in a while, claim to be an kindly uncle or something, and take Harry out for an ice cream?  Why didn't he do anything that showed Harry any kind of love an affection instead of pure emotional and physical abuse?

[Assistant] Dumbledore couldn't have just popped by. He's an incredibly powerful and well known wizard. He has forces (good and evil) always watching. If Dumbledore would have visited Harry Voldemort would have eventually known about it and figured out who was in that house.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does adding money into an economy affect inflation? Why can't prices remain fixed and incomes rise?

[Assistant]
Imagine that you live in a world where the only thing anybody wants is pizza, and each day one pizza is made, with exactly 100 slices, with varying toppings. There are exactly 50 people in this world, and every day, you dig holes, and for every hole you dig you get a dollar. At the end of the day, the pizza slices are auctioned off.

One day, the money god decides to pay everyone two dollars per hole, but no more pizza is made. So now you, and everyone else, has twice as much money. But you all still want to eat, so you all bid twice as much, and nothing in the system has changed except for the numbers written on your money.


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

[User] Does the sex of the recipient and the giver in organ donation matter?

[Assistant] Yes it does. Women can donate to men easily as long as their HLA types match up. But due to the Y chromosome, men make proteins that women's immune systems will see as foreign and attack the transplant.


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

[User]
Is there a way to decrease my laptop's camera quality?

I want to decrease my camera's quality because during lectures, everyone has crappy cameras while they can see clearly through mine and I feel big discomfort, I know it is weird.

So is there a way to decrease the quality? Like a software or through system?

[Assistant]
It may not be an issue. You see your own feed locally, ie it's not compressed (I think) so is full resolution.
Anyway, you can put some clear plastic over your lens and put a rub of vaseline or similar on it.


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

[User]
How do I repair massive screwed up Undergrad degree?

I made the horrible decision to "push through" my undergraduate degree during a excessively complex and stressful period in my life. As a result I did significantly less than satisfactory, but I chose to graduate instead of going back through and fixing subpar courses.

I graduated with a 1.93 GPA. I am not remotely proud of it. I'm also an "academic" person, but clearly failed to deliver.

Additionally, I've maxed out my student loan limits for undergraduate degrees. I'm finally at a point in my life (4 years after graduating) where I've decided what I want to do. The problem is obtaining the education necessary to do it.

My bachelors degree is in Family and Human Development. I've pinned down pursuing courses necessary to be a BCaBA, maintaining that position for several years and then continuing to be a BCBA.

I've considered:

- Trying to get a Master's Certificate in ABA, which would satisfy coursework for the BCaBA
- Trying to pursue a BAE for Special Education with focus on ABA

My undergraduate GPA is too low really for anything at all, so I've zero chance pursing a graduate certificate or degree in any capacity. Because I've maxed out student loans I can't pursue an undergraduate degree. Additionally, I've been either in the IT industry or at home as a stay-at-home-mom for the past 6 years so I don't have in-field experience. I briefly participated as a research assistant in a related lab before I graduated, but again, it's unlikely to prove much of anything due to my complete failure academically.

After that train wreck of a story, where do I go from here? Do I even have any viable options (paying out of pocket isn't a choice at all, obtaining private loans also isn't a choice) to pursue anything ABA related or anything I can do to fluff an application for a graduate certificate (I'm aware "Fluffing" may take years)?

[Assistant]
Without solid, relevant, work history, and with poor academic performance, you strongest option is to actually go to community college and get a degree in something complementary (Academically and professionally) to your ultimate academic goal.

As long as your state is funding the CC system (most are these days, the ROI is great,) you will find many great programs to choose from and at very low prices.

Do well in your courses, and, if possible also build relevant work history.


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

[User] [Warhammer 40k] Do Imperial Guardsmen ever get PTSD, if so, what happens to them?

[Assistant] I would imagine they mostly die before PTSD gets the chance to set in, and those that live likely all get it. And then they're probably told to man up and carry on fighting or maybe they're accused of Heresy for not wanting to fight and the Inquisitors deal with them. The general rule for IG is anything you'll do, you'll probably end up dead.


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

[User]
[Predators] How did no one figure out where they were sooner? (Spoilers)

Although it's easily guessed from the beginning, we don't find out until halfway through the film that they're on an alien planet and only then because they see the sky and spot the other planets etc... However at various points before that (like when walking across the rocks) the sky is clearly visible... Also, wouldn't an alien planet likely have a slightly different gravity unless it was close to identical to earth in size and composition?

Thanks!

[Assistant]
If all they saw of the sky was blue with clouds, or even just a night sky with stars, they're unlikely to notice anything different. There are very few people outside of astronomers and navigators who know the stars and constellations well enough to identify them (or the lack of them) in a place they've never been to, especially if they don't know where that is (or is supposed to be). And the planet/moon that finally tips them off may not have risen in the mean time.

As for the gravity, it's highly unlikely for a planet to have exactly the same gravity as Earth, but it could well be close enough to the point that a person wouldn't be able to tell the difference. It wasn't just some random planet, after all, so surface gravity was likely a characteristic taken into account when the Predators chose that place as their game preserve.


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

[User]
[DC] Could you carry the water from a lazarus pit with you in a bottle?

Like a healing potion? Would it still work?

[Assistant] I think that the reason Lazarus Pits work is because they naturally contained chemicals that continually leak into the springs, and apparently each one can only be used once, then it lies dormant. Sure, you could bring a bottle of water with you, but you need your entire body to be soaked in order to have an effect, and at that point you'd basically be bringing the entire spring with you anyway.


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

[User] ELI5: What causes the feeling of tripping and falling and the accompanying body movements when lying down usually around when you are trying to sleep?

[Assistant]
I was told it's a old evolutionary throwback to when our ancestors used to live in trees. If the body felt like it was tipping over it jerked us awake so we would grab hold of the branch.

As we now sleep in beds it sometimes gets confused and activates.

The trait never dissappeared with evolution because there is no benifit to not having it, so it made no difference to reproduction rates if anyone was born without it.


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

[User]
Am I more genetically similar to my mother or my sister?

My mother has passed down half of her genes to me, and half to my sister. However, my sister and I both also contain half of our father's DNA; am I more genetically similar to my mother because she's directly passed her genes on to me, or to my sister, who has the same "blend" of DNA as I do?

[Assistant] It's probably about the same on average.  You have 50% the same DNA as your mother.   Your sister gets 50% from your mother too, but not necessarily the same 50% - it could be anywhere between 0-50% the same as you on your maternal half but averages on 25%.  The same is true on your fathers side which give's you two parts at about 25% on average equaling 50% - though that's just the probability so some siblings will be more closely related and some will be less.  It's a little more complicated when you factor in sex chromosomes since the y has so few genes but many of the genes on the 2nd x in a female are inert so it depends on whether or not your % are by mass or actual gene or whatever.


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

[User]
[Star Trek] Why are there so many Miranda and Excelsior class in the 24th Century, but no Constitution refits from the same time period?

I was watching the Dominion war documentaries and noticed an abundance of Miranda class and Excelsior class ships but no Constitution class ships. I have read engineering texts stating that the refits were redesigned from the keel up to be the back bone of the fleet. Was there a flaw in the design or did Starfleet just not build that many?

[Assistant]
Some Constitution-class vessels survived in active service well into the 2390s, but they are considerably rarer than the much more common Miranda-class ships of the same era. This is due to a number of reasons. Constitution-class cruisers were usually deployed on high endurance, long range missions, spending years or even decades without refit or repairs. They were hard-working ships and they showed it. After many years of being on the frontier, many Connies were just too worn out for continued service. It was easier to replace a worn out Constitution with a brand new Excelsior than it was to repair and upgrade.

Additionally, the Constitution-class cruiser was built as a top of the line ship of its day (the 2250s). Some compromises were made for the sake of performance. Connies were never comfortable ships, with little thought put to future upgrades. During their midlife refits in the 2270s, the Constitution-class cruisers had to be significantly rebuilt to incorporate the newest technology. Many were just replaced instead.

The other major reason why the Constitution-class cruisers weren't retained in as many numbers as the Miranda-class ships was because of the Miranda-class. By the 2320s, as the bigger Ambassador-Class and the Celestial-class ships entered service, the difference in capability between the Miranda-class and the Constitution-class just didn't justify the additional cost of the Connie. The Miranda-class was the low capability low cost (in maintenance and manpower) frigate designed to accompany the high capability Constitution-class cruiser and perform duties that didn't warrant a capital ship, to free up said capital ships for other missions. The Mirandas hadn't been sent on long deep space missions and received by-the-book maintenance at Federation facilities. They were just in better shape than the Connies, so they've lasted longer.


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

[User]
ELI5: Why do we prefer cold pillows to warm pillows?

Even though warm pillows are more comforting, why do we still prefer cold ones?

[Assistant]
When you're awake, the normal functioning of your body is generally producing more heat than your body needs to maintain its preferred internal temperature. So your body is often trying to dump that heat out into the world, or else you'd overheat and that'd be bad for you.

So when you lay down and put your head on a warm pillow, that's basically like wrapping a blanket around part of your head. You're insulating that part of your body, so it can no longer be effectively used to dump excess heat into the atmosphere. It's not comfortable because it's holding heat in that part of your head.

While your sleeping, your body is generally much less active, and as a result creates less heat, and therefore needs to dump less heat into the outside environment or even conserve heat in order to maintain your body temperature. That's why in the morning a warm pillow might feel nice, even though 8 hours earlier all you wanted was a nice cool pillow.


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

[User] [Marvel] Mutants are discriminated against but mutates aren't. How does the average bigot even tell the difference?

[Assistant]
It's pretty easy: mutants are the dangerous ones, and mutates are the heroic ones. At least, that's how a bigot would parse it.

Guys who dress up like the American flag, or ninjas that can hear your heartbeat from across the city? Those are the good guys, so they're obviously mutates. Terrorists who throw around the Brooklyn Bridge using their magnetic magic? Bad guys, and obviously mutants.

Of course the X-Men make a really big point about being mutants, which makes them de facto dangerous in a lot of people's minds. Spider-Man also probably has a number of people who think he's a mutant, jut because of the bad press he gets in the *Daily Bugle*.


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

[User]
[BttF] Why does Marty have such a problem with being called a chicken?

In the third movie he gets called "yellow" instead but either way, he has a major issue with people calling his courage into question. Why?

As much trouble as he gets into everyone that happens, you'd think he'd let it go - and at the end of the third movie, he does just that by not racing. Why not sooner?

[Assistant]
You'll notice that this wasn't an issue for Marty when he first traveled back to 1955. He appeared normal and was presented as a young man who rarely took the opinions of others into account.

But then he started fiddling with the timeline.

Time, in this reality, acts upon the continuum in broad waves; a person who briefly removes him- or herself from it will observe time "correcting" itself (photographs changing, newspapers rewriting, even people disappearing).

But what they won't see is their *personality* being altered. Each time Marty traveled through time, any action he took in the past had an inevitable reaction on his disposition in the future - this becomes increasingly pronounced as his story progresses, culminating in his ability to turn away from Needles.

"But we went into the future and saw that Marty already had that accident, and this was *before* he tried changing anything!"

Quite right, but as Doc Brown said, you aren't thinking fourth dimensionally, and certainly aren't considering the behavior of time.

See, Doc Brown himself returns to 1985 and informs Marty that it's his *kids* that get into trouble, but Marty himself is fine. Having traveled immediately that far into the future, time hadn't yet 'caught up' to 2015 and corrected itself after the shenanigans in 1955, thus Doc Brown observes a Marty McFly who has no recollections of ever traveling through time.

But by the time Marty himself jumps into 2015, the corrections have asserted themselves: Marty has been changed, perhaps subtly, into a man hellbent on the adoration and acceptance of his peers: a sellout, a loser, a chicken. It is no surprise that Marty gets into his accident with the Rolls Royce the *very same day* that he returns from 1955. In this timeline, he has no time to even begin to understand that he's been altered.

But, in the reality we observe, Marty gets to drag out this single day in 1985 by many additional leaps through time, both forward and backwards. These adventures continue to have sweeping effects on his personality, but - luckily - he eventually overcomes his new flaw and sidesteps the incident with Needles, allowing him to start a new path into the future, likely one more-closely mirroring that which Doc Brown initially observed.


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

[User] When is it a good idea to develop multiple programs with separate codebases, vs. develop one codebase that does the same thing?

[Assistant]
Reuse is king. You don't want to waste time rewriting what has already been written.

But - monolithic applications can easily become too complex and unwieldy to maintain.

This is why we use things like frameworks, packaged, and libraries. Split your applications down to the sensible domain boundaries, and reuse underpinning components to minimise duplication.


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

[User] (Superman) What would happen if a human went to Krypton?

[Assistant] There was an Elseworld where Jonathan and Martha Kent sent a young Clark Ken into space to avoid the possible destruction of Earth. The ship landed on Krypton where Clark barely survived. The gravity was far too strong for him and he had to be raised first in a zero gravity environment, then wearing an exo-skeleton to help support himself. He also required some genetic re-engineering to help his survival.


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

[User] What do scientists mean when they say "We only know what makes up 5% of the Universe"? What makes up the other 95% of the Universe and how come we don't know what it is ?

[Assistant]
We can measure the total matter density.

We can also observe how many stars there are and what their masses are (and calculate the energy corresponding to this mass). They contribute 1% to the total energy density. Add gas in galaxies, gas between galaxies, planets, black holes, and everything else we can directly observe and you end up with about 20% of the total matter density.

What about the rest? We know it is there from its gravitational influence, we can even map its density, but we don't know which particles it is made out of (there are searches for possible particles, but without a discovery so far). This is dark matter, contributing about 80% of the total matter density.

----

We can measure the expansion rate of space, and the total matter density allows to calculate how much expansion should slow down over time. But the measurements show it is expanding. There are multiple ways to describe this, but the easiest approach is dark energy: A constant energy density everywhere that - unlike matter - makes the universe expand faster. To compare this to the matter density, we can convert the matter density to an energy density via E=mc^(2). The overall result is 68% dark energy, 27% dark matter and 5% regular matter.


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

[User]
[Star Wars] Why do Storm Troopers bother with their armor?

Things Storm Trooper armor fails to protect against:

1. Blasters
1. Lightsabers
1. Wrist darts
1. Guys with big sticks
1. [Mandalorian Chapter 14] >!*Indiana Jones* style boulders!<
1. Teddy bears with spears

But at least the armor impairs vision and offers like anti-camouflage.

The Empire considers people expendable, so it's not like they'd foot the bill for Beskar or Cortosis, but why bother with the useless armor at all? It it entirely for intimidation?

[Assistant] It's entirely plausible that stormtrooper armour keeps the wearer alive when hit with a blaster. We see people die from blaster fire all the time, so blaster shots are obviously lethal. The armour of a stormtrooper may act to dissipate the energy of a blaster, which still knocks out or otherwise incapacitates the wearer but prevents them from dying.


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

[User]
ELI5:On an atomic/molecular level, Why does glue glue?

Why does glue glue and adhesive adhere on a micro scale.
I understand the larger picture of surface area, surface texture and general bonding along with curing. But what is happening that allows the glue to bond at an atomic level.

[Assistant]
There are a few theories, and it depends on the glue, but you already have a fair understanding of the basics: surface area.

Nothing is really smooth if you zoom in enough. There are valleys and ridges and bumps and holes. Now imagine 2 rough surfaces like that being placed together: nothing much will happen. But now fill in those gaps with something runny that will get into every crack and tiny space. When that stuff dries it isn't just a uniform shape like a zigzag that can easily lifted off another zigzag, the ridges and valleys are much more complex, and are in 3D and go in every direction, more like the branches on a tree. If you try to pull the glue out it won't come easily because some valleys or shafts might go left, some might go right, some forward, some back. Some might be straight, some might curve, but they are all filled with glue that would need to be pulled in every direction at once to come out of these spaces. Now that's only one object, the item you're sticking it to also has the same properties, so the glue is really getting into all these tiny spaces on 2 items, meaning they are then harder to come apart.

Another way glue can work is that atoms have positive and negative charges like magnets, and so like lots of tiny magnets they can actually kind of stick together.


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

[User] ELI5: Why do planes and boats use the same unit for distance. Maybe the question would be why do they both use knots?

[Assistant]
Knot is not a unit of distance but a unit of speed (Distance divided by time).

A knot is a short way of saying one nautical mile per hour.

A nautical mile is how ships (and aircraft) measure the distance they travel. One nautical mile is exactly 1852 meter.

Nautical miles are conceptually related to meters and kilometers as one nautical mile is the distance of one minute of latitude. A minute of latitude is a 60th of a degree (the same as a minute of time is one 60th of an hour) and there are 360 degree in a circle.

Thus a nautical mile was originally defined as being one (60 x 90) part of the distance between the equator and a pole, while a kilometer was originally defined as 1/10000 of the distance between the equator and the pole.

The name knot originally comes from ships measuring their speed through the water by having a rope with literal knots on it unspool into the water to see how fast they are going.

Today it is used to mostly describe the speed of a vessel though a medium like water or air, but in theory since it is just a measure of speed you can also use it to describe how fast your car is going (but nobody does that).

It use today is mostly down to tradition rather than any practical use. The navigation equipment and other modern devices used to measure speed of ships and planes etc today could just as easily display the result in any other value, but knots and nautical miles is what we have gotten used to.


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

[User] ELI5: Why did humans start shaving?

[Assistant]
I think at the very beginning stands hygiene: You can easily get rid of lice by shaving, this "cleaning" aspect is especially true if you are in an area with little water so washing is hard.

Starting from that you have "fashion", which is responsible for all kinds of odd behaviour you cannot explain.

As soon as you have a society where you show that you do not have to spend your day working for life but have time for other things (you are "rich" or "noble" or whatever it is in the current society called) tending after your body (muscles, cleanlyness, clothing and of course hair, makeup, ..., and beard) becomes a thing you can do to "show off" and what you can "afford". Again, fashion does hit and also embraces beards. There are many signs of a higher social status, as brighter skin (not working outside all day), soft hands (not working at all), fancy clothing, fancy hair, etc... beards (in general or the lack of one) are just part of that.

The above is also true for soldiers etc, as others have stated. Discipline is, even in modern armies, tied to how soldiers tend to their body. That is first true to keep up the fighting ability, but also discipline and self-image.

I read a theory that the modern view on "super clean shaven" of the modern man started both with the industrialised cheap razor, so everyone could afford it, as well as with the first World War, where people liked to be *very* cleanly shaven so the gas mask would sit as tight as possible.


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

[User] ELI5: Why does pedaling up hill feels harder than walking up the same hill?

[Assistant]
The thing nobody is mentioning is power

You walk slower than you pedal.

Even if the bike was weightless, pedaling makes you go faster than waking. And that translates in more power being delivered. That feels hard

With the proper gears, you could pedal at waking velocity and it should be as hard as waking.

Other than that, there is a matter of geometry of the pedaling vs walking. Different muscle groups and such.


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

[User]
Imposter Syndrome but manifesting weirdly!

I have a manuscript accepted at a thing. I promised to post the code I used in the paper. But now I have a sinking feeling, that when I post it, everybody will pick it apart and tear me apart for not-great/bad coding practices.

I mean, the code I used is not the focus of the paper, just a means to an end and its pretty standard normal stuff. But, I am paralyzed with dread. Is this normal?

Also, this is my first publication, in case that info helps!

[Assistant]
Just post the code.  Unless you are a computer programmer who has promised some kind of fancy, new, and highly efficient algorithm, then nobody will care about your code, for either of two reasons:

1. They *aren't* computer people and just don't care about "computer stuff" at all.  They'll just be interested in the results of the main paper.
2. They *are* computer people, so if they want to run your code but see suboptimal programming techniques, they'll just update the code on their own as they see fit before running it, by which point they'll have forgotten about the original code they started with.

This is nothing to be worried about.  Post the code as you promised, and everything will be fine.


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

[User] ELI5: How do we know where to search for precious metals? How do we know that 100 ft underneath my yard isn't the largest gold deposit in the world?

[Assistant] Certain rock types are more likely to have certain minerals than others, but for the most part they look around where they found some precious metals and hope there is more.  Lot's of guesswork, gambling, and sampling.  Maybe you find nothing, maybe you strike it rich.


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

[User] ELI5: Is the standard order of the letters in the alphabet "random", or does it have a specific thought/system behind it?

[Assistant] we really don't know. We know that as far back as recorded history shows the phoenicians, who originated in present day syria, created the basic blueprint for the alphabet as we know it today. Over millennia the alphabet has evolved to fit the needs of the language spoken by peoples who adopted it. Some civilizations such as the greeks and latins have added letters to represent vowels. The exact order could be arbitrary, but is most likely in the original order that the phoenicians must have used it in.. besides vowels as their language was purley consonant.


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

[User]
[Unbreakable] What is the most precise description of David Dunn's actual powers?

As well as potential weaknesses and logical vulnerabilities.

[Assistant]
David Dunn didn't receive his powers in a lab accident so his powers don't necessarily have to be consistent. He was probably born with his condition, like Glass was, but how or why is never really explained.

We know that David is exceptionally strong and durable, but it's not clear whether he's *superhumanly* so. He can survive car accidents and train wrecks with barely a scratch but we don't know if it's because he's invulnerable, or if he's lucky as well as tough. The ESP thing is definitely supernatural but we don't know how it connects to the rest of his powers.

Similarly, we don't know how his weakness to water really works. How much of it is psychological, and how much of it is because his body is unusually dense? Is this some kind of fated Achilles heel or could he take swimming lessons at the local YMCA?


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

[User]
[Physics] if you cool the radioactive isotope to absolute zero, would it decay?

in theory, at least. If I remember correctly I don't think you can cool things truly to absolute zero. Would the half-life change at a temperature very close to absolute zero?

[Assistant]
Yes.

At low temperatures (meaning below even many millions of Kelvin) nuclear physics becomes pretty insensitive to temperature. The thermal energy becomes far far less than the energy of a nuclear decay, so virtually all nuclear physics happening on earth (and even in most stars) is all effectively happening at zero temperature as far as the nucleus is concerned.

So for a radioactive nucleus there is a lower energy state available to the particles but there is also some barrier to reaching that state which gives you some tunneling probability. That probability, in turn, gives you an average lifetime (or half-life) for decay.


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

[User] It's possible to supercool or superheat a liquid so that it instantly boils or freezes when disturbed. Is it possible to do something similar with other phase transitions, such as producing a block of ice that will instantly melt?

[Assistant]
Yup superheating of solids is a known phenomena.  Happens quite a bit in metals, ceramics, etc.  Not always as dramatic as super heating of water for instance, but still can occur.

It's all because the nucleation/cavitation/etc processes that allow these compounds to switch phases can often be thermodynamically unfavorable until you give the system a little bit of a nudge.


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

[User]
[MCU] are non Earth weapons more powerful than Earth weapons?

Loki can survive bullets to the head but in Ragnarok he backs up from one of those Sakarran guns.

Thor can take punches to the face from Hulk but Hela cut out his eye with her blade.

So yeah, title questions

Edit: also, are Asgardian blades tougher/sharper than earth blades, or at least implied to be?

[Assistant]
Earth doesnt have energy weapons in mass production. Seems to be just Stark and Wakandan tech. So yeah, probably.

Lets not forget that Hulks fists are a blunt weapon and Helas swords are piercing. Thor might be cut easier than he bruises. Plus, Helas blades seem to be a bit better than the usual sword.


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

[User]
A person is singing at 75 decibels. Another joins in singing at 75 dBs as well. How is their sound measured collectively in decibels?

At what rate does the measure of the sound of something increase? Surely, two people singing at 75dB aren't producing sounds of 150 dB or 5,625 dB.

The fact that the example I used was of people singing is irrelevant. I am just interested in the perception of sounds and the the effect of volume when they are simultaneously being produced.

[Assistant] The decibel system is logarithmic. That means that the intensity would have to increase tenfold for the rating to go up by ten. If two people are singing such that alone each would produce 75 dB at a given distance, intensity has doubled and the number of decibels would increase by ten times the logarithm of two, which is about 3. So 78 dB.


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

[User] [DC] What are the craziest feats the Flash can pull off without taking a step?

[Assistant]
Vibration.

He basically has enough vibration-based powers to make a complete extra powerset which itself is quite good. He can create heat through friction or wreck machinery with simple force. He can somehow vibrate his face in such a way that people see him normally, yet photographs of him are blurred. He can phase through solid objects, making him potentially very lethal even to strong superheroes. The phasing effect can make him invisible or make the thing he passes through explode. He can also vibrate large objects, like vehicles, and make them briefly intangible too.

Basically, while the Flash is vibrating, comic-book physics and even basic common sense are temporarily demoted to being as irrelevant as real physics.


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

[User] How can the world operate continuously when all major economies have debt to GDP rations of between 50%-200% ?

[Assistant] The same way most people can operate continuously despite having student debt, a mortgage, and credit card debt. Debt doesn't affect you drastically unless you can't make interest payments, and major economics have no problem making those payments.


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

[User]
[Rick & Morty] Has playing "Roy: A Life Well Lived" had *any* lasting impact on Morty's personality?

Morty was a whiny little shit before he played "Roy". And he was a whiny little shit *after* he played "Roy".

Shouldn't the wisdom and experience of living a life well-lived have *some* sort of lasting effect on Morty's personality?

[Assistant] Have you ever had one of those massive dreams, that feel like they last hours or even days? How much did that effect your life? Roy is a lot like that. Sure initially Morty would have difficulty readjusting to the real world again but give it a few days and it would be just like a dream, vague and mostly forgotten.


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

[User]
Strange holes in aluminium foil

I currently work in a restaurant. When we put aluminium foil over a pan of mac & cheese a few days later the foils has holes in it. This still happens even when we put a sheet of wax paper between the mac and the foil. The mac is the only thing that does this. I'm in school for chemical engineering but i can't think of a reason of what would cause these holes to appear. Any ideas AskScience?

[Assistant]
Aluminum has a very low reduction potential.  Much lower than steel, which the pan is almost certainly made from.  You are basically making a battery with the two metals.

The steel (or one of the other metals in the pan) is getting oxidized by the food.  These ions then steal the available electrons off of an aluminum atom, oxidizing the aluminum.  The oxidized aluminum turns into aluminum oxide, probably, which is brittle and separates from the foil.  Keep going with this and you end up with a hole.

The wax paper barrier isn't completely insulating the steel from the aluminum.  Even if it was, they might still both be touching a metal object in the fridge.  Try totally wrapping the pan in wax paper, then foil, then putting the thing on a plastic tray in the fridge.  Betcha the foil won't get holes in it then.


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

[User]
CMV Any society that doesnt offer sufficient social safety net that people with even the most severe disabilities can still afford a decent life should at least offer free assisted suicide.

If youre sufficiently disabled or ill (physically or mentally) that you cant contribute enough to some hypothetical society to earn a living wage and there isnt sufficient social welfare to support you, you shouldnt have to die of poverty. Whether its exposure, starvation, illness, or something else entirely, its likely going to be a slow, painful, and miserable death. I think we should afford those people, at the very least, a mercy killing. (Yes, just those people. Im not opposed to a broader program but thats outside the scope of this question)

To be very clear, in this hypothetical, a lack of income is a certain death sentence unless someone else is supporting you. These people are all either going to die a slow and miserable death, usually within weeks, or they can be offered a more painless option.

Some people would argue that youre not entitled to anyone elses labor and thus should be left to fend for yourself and, of course, die. Others would argue we cant afford it. Others that its not worth it to help those people if it means some can take advantage of the system. Whatever the reason, some societies are like this. Im not here to talk about why society is like this, just about societies that are.

> But killing is wrong

Is leaving someone to die painfully any better?

> But thats also expensive

Inert has asphyxiation is cheap and painless.

> But they could still get better

For many, thats wildly improbable. For the rest, yes, they might get better if they could afford to live long enough, but they cant.

> But suicide is easy. The government doesnt have to do it for you.

Its not easy and its often painful. Im suggesting offering a painless and easy way out of an otherwise certainly painful and slow death.

Edit: To clarify, Im not supporting this societys decision to not have a social safety net. Im just saying that, assuming that is the case, they should offer a peaceful death to those who would otherwise suffer a slow and painful one.

Seriously, stop saying they should just build a social safety net. I know! I agree! But thats not the hypothetical!

**STOP TELLING ME IM EVIL FOR NOT BUILDING A SOCIAL SAFETY NET! IT IS A HYPOTHETICAL! IVE ALREADY EXPLICITLY SAID IM NOT SUPPORTING ANYTHING ABOUT THIS DYSTOPIAN NIGHTMARE!**

[Assistant]
I guess that if this became a thing, then over time it would become a social norm for disabled people to commit suicide. A disabled person advocating for further rights and support would be looked down on, tsked, and privately people would say why dont they just off themselves? It would be better for everyone.

They deserve better than for that to become a social norm. Making that an option could soon make it an unsaid expectation. The expectation we should all have is that we provide a good quality of life for everyone.


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

[User] ELI5: Can blind people see their thoughts?

[Assistant]
People who are blind from birth won't visualize anything, such as their thoughts. It's difficult for them to understand the concept of seeing something, let alone actually seeing something in their mind.

Someone who has experienced sight but then became blind probably will continue to visualize things in their mind. It'll be harder over time, the longer they go without being able to see.


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

[User]
[Star Trek] Why is it that after 10 years none of the senior officers on the Enterprise (NX-01) were promoted?

When the NX-01 was being decommissioned the senior officers are all the same rank as when the ship was launched. Why after 10 years would none of the officers have been promoted? It seems really odd, especially for Travis and Hoshi who are ensigns. After the Xindi incident it should have been easy to justify their promotion to Lieutenant.

After 7 years on Picard's (first) Enterprise his senior staff were all Lieutenant Commanders and higher.

[Assistant]
They were...and they weren't.

Keep in mind that the Program used by Commander Riker on Stardate 47457.1 was not an accurate historical holoprogram.  It was a counseling tool, probably one of several Starfleet Medical-approved holoprograms for use on deep space assignments.

Such programs by their nature are designed to reinforce the chain of command, nudge doubting crewmembers to trust/confide in superior officers and generally enhance the wellbeing of the crew as a whole.

As such, there are some historical inaccuracies built into the program.  Individuals such as Hoshi Sato were best known as the first crew of the first warp-capable *Enterprise*.  Hoshi is immortalised as "Ensign Hoshi Sato", and referring to her at her retirement rank of Lieutenant Commander would introduce an uncomfortable discontinuity into the program.

Imagine being greeted with a holoprogram of Admiral Kirk, when you better know him as Captain...James...T...Kirk.

Captain Archer was promoted to Admiral upon the deactivation of the NX-01 and the ratification of the Starfleet Charter in 2161.  As "Captain" is both a rank and an honorary title for the commander of a starship, it's not unusual for Captains to see no promotion during their operational period, followed by an abrupt jump upon being relieved.

Commander Trip Tucker was already a commander upon taking his position as Chief Engineer on the NX-01.  His promotion track was stalled at this point, and he would have required his own command to advance further up the ranks.  Cmdr Tucker never received his own command following his death in 2161.

Commander T'Pol was originally a Sub-Commander with the Vulcan High Command before resigning her commission.  After the events of the Xindi Incursion, she was accepted into Starfleet and breveted to the rank of Commander.  That was presumably her retirement rank as well - records are incomplete.

Lieutenant Reed is a special case.  His promotions were effectively blocked by [RECORD DELETED] in order for him to maintain his position on board the front-line ship as its Weapons Officer.  In 2161, he was found to be intentionally turning promotions down in order to remain with Admiral Archer.

Ensign Mayweather was also found to be intentionally turning down promotions and reassignments in order to stay with an Admiral that had earnt his loyalty.

Ensign Hoshi Sato was promoted to Lieutenant Commander before her retirement in 2165.  It's likely this promotion occured prior to 2161, but was not reflected in the holoprogram for the aforementioned reasons.


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

[User] ELI5: Why are TVs being produced capable of displaying 120, 240hz? Aren't most programs broadcast at 24fps?

[Assistant]
In North America, most TV broadcasts are produced in either 30 or 60 FPS formats. In the rest of the world, it's usually either 25 or 50 FPS formats. Film is usually produced in 24 FPS format (occasionally 48 FPS) regardless of location, but television stations often convert the frame-rate to 25 or 30 FPS (using various different techniques) to match the standard television broadcast frame rate in a given region.

There are various reasons why a high frame-rate television is advantageous:

a) The TV may be able to accept high frame-rate video formats outside of regular television broadcasts (e.g. from online sources, USB drive or SD card etc.)

b) The TV may be 'future-proofed' to accept high frame-rate television broadcasts in the future through certain video inputs (e.g. HDMI, SuperMHL, etc.)

c) The TV may have a frame-rate interpolation mode that averages the difference between two frames to create (extrapolate) in-between frames that help smooth the motion and produce high frame-rate effect from content produced a lower frame-rates.

d) A TV with a 120 Hz or 240 Hz refresh rate can display both TV shows and Films natively without any special frame-rate conversion techniques (which often leave unwanted artifacts) since 120 Hz and 240 Hz are both common multiples of 24 (film) and 30 (TV) FPS frame-rates.


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

[User]
[MCU] Could Tony Stark singlehandedly conquer the universe?

Let's say during the events of Infinity War, Tony was able to kill Thanos, suffers a massive mental break, and decides to wield the Stones for himself and conquer the universe.

Couldn't he, theoretically, find the rest of the Stones (Time and Mind) and conquer the universe? Who could stop Ironman equipped with four Infinity Gems?

[Assistant]
>Who could stop Ironman equipped with four Infinity Gems?

They wouldn't need to - using four Infinity Stones  would likely be suicide for Tony, just as using six was.  The Iron Man suit and the Infinity Gauntlet seemed to offer some level of resistance to the radiation and the power of the Stones, but even just slotting in one at a time caused obvious pain to Thanos, and we've seen that even just holding a single stone (especially the more volatile ones like the Power or Space stones) can cause serious pain or instant death to humans.  I'd bet that even with the intact Infinity Gauntlet, the power surge of four stones might be too much for a human body to take.

And even if he could handle four, he certainly couldn't handle six.  Tony's death was caused by the power of unleashing the Stones for a pretty small "wish," - don't get me wrong, it was heroic as hell, but it boiled down to "make a few thousand aliens and their ships disappear," while both Thanos and Hulk were able to survive universe-level snaps, things that affected trillions of living things.  The scale of difference between a human body's ability to survive that radiation and that of a Titan or a Hulk is enormous.  The protection of a Gauntlet or a suit only go so far - one big hit of radiation from a big wish or the prolonged effects of constant use would take Tony out long before he could do any major damage.


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

[User]
Was the removal of homosexuality from the DSM the result of political pressure or from the evolving view of doctors that homosexuality is not a mental illness?

I'm jut wondering how the decision to remove homosexuality from the DSM came about. Maybe this is a more historical question than a pure social science question. I've tried googling for the answer, but there seems to be a lot of bias/lack of clarity.

[Assistant]
In all likelihood, it was both.

Kinsey et al. demonstrated in the Kinsey Reports (1948; 1953) that homosexuality was more common than previously assumed, and that the sexual orientations and behaviors of both men and women fell on a spectrum rather than a binary. Ford and Beach, in *Patterns of Sexual Behavior* (1951), presented findings of same-sex behaviors in numerous human cultures and animal species, and concluded that there is a basic mammalian capacity for same-sex behavior.
Evelyn Hooker administered psychological tests to 30 self-identified homosexual men and compared the results with those of a matched group of 30 heterosexual men (the men were paired based on equivalent IQ, age, and education). In her paper *The Adjustment of the Male Overt Homosexual* (1957), she presented findings that the homosexual men were comparable to their heterosexual peers in terms of mental adjustment. Experts who were asked to examine the unmarked psychological profiles could not differentiate the two groups based on mental health. This challenged the prevailing notion that homosexuality was in itself an inherent cause of mental illness.

Following Kinsey's and Hooker's studies, more research was directed to focus on nonclinical samples of homosexual men and women (i.e. ones with no background of mental illness). This, coupled with improved methods of assessing human personality (e.g. Eysenck Personality Questionnaire) and mental disorders (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory), proliferated inquiry into human sexuality. Research conducted with the new measures repeatedly produced results that indicated that homosexual men and women were essentially similar to their heterosexual peers in mental health.

A campaign to remove homosexuality as a mental disorder from the DSM was launched by gay rights activists (e.g. Frank Kameny and the Mattachine Society) in the early 1960s, which was strengthened by the Stonewall riots. Given the results of research, activism was directed at the American Psychological Association and the American Psychiatric Association.
Following advocacy both outside of and within the American Psychiatric Association, the association began evaluating research and literature to assess the status and validity of homosexuality as a mental disorder. In 1973, the board of trustees and general members voted to remove homosexuality from the DSM and issued a statement supporting civil rights protection for gay people and calling for the repeal of sodomy laws, among other things. The American Psychological Association followed suit in 1974.

----
^(Bayer, R. (1981)^). ^(*Homosexuality and American Psychiatry: The Politics of Diagnosis*)
^(Hooker, E. A. (1957)^). ^(The Adjustment of the Male Overt Homosexual; *Journal of Projective Techniques*, 21)
^(Kameny, F. (2009)^). ^(How It All Started; *Journal of Gay and Lesbian Mental Health*, 13)
^(Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., & Martin, C. E. (1948)^). ^(*Sexual Behavior in the Human Male*)
^(Kinsey, A. C., Pomeroy, W. B., Martin, C. E., & Gebhard, P. (1953)^). ^(*Sexual Behavior in the Human Female*)


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

[User]
ELI5: How do our veins handle extra liquid from shots or IV

I was in surgery earlier and remember when the nurse put injected anesthesia and something else through the IV and I could feel the liquid push itself into my vein and it felt like my vein in my hand to elbow would explode.

That got me thinking, how does my body intake so much liquid like the full IV bag without exploding or peeing on the operating table  while I'm knocked out.

[Assistant]
Veins and arteries pump liquid through your veins really quickly. It is constantly moving. So, extra fluid in the veins from an IV is no different from drinking a huge amount of liquid for it to also be absorbed. Once the nutrients go where they need to go, the kidneys filter out the excess. And you would absolutely urinate on the operating table, but you most likely had a catheter in that was inserted and removed while you were knocked out.

The sensation of feeling the injection into your veins isnt really about volume, but more that what was injected was an irritant. Thats why it is diluted with neutral IV fluids from the full bag.


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

[User]
[Star Wars] How/Why was there no escape plan or a backup plan in case the Jedi Temple was attacked?

I re watched RoTS and I realized as Anakin and the Troopers decimated the Jedi, I sat there asking. "Where are there secret tunnels? Or the mass evacs?" Most of the shots, you see them either hiding or one Jedi go up against like 30 Troopers only to get killed in no time flat.

[Assistant]
The majority of the Jedi Masters and senior Knights were out leading armies or otherwise engaged on missions for the Order/Republic.

That meant the majority of the "Jedi" left at the Temple were Younglings; who either didn't know about the escape routes, wanted to fight too badly to think of using them, or weren't able to get to them because they weren't solo.

Combine this with the fact that Anakin was on the Council at this point and no doubt knew about the various escape routes, he would have sent troopers to go and cover any possible exits.

It's why the troopers were the perfect group to carry out the purge, all the Jedi trusted them, and the young Jedi who most likely had grown up with the Clones in their everyday life no doubt saw them as relatively harmless.


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

[User]
ELI5: What the hell is going on when you see the actors credited as 'Executive Producers' in a TV show?

I'm watching the new season of House of Cards.

Robin Wright is listed on her own as 'Executive Producer'. The next credit is Kevin Spacey along with someone else as 'Executive Producers'.

The US Office comedy also listed lot of the actors as executive producers. I know Mindy Kaling, B.J. Novak and Paul Lieberstein (Toby the sad HR guy) were writers more than actors, but the main cast got those credits too.

**Is it just extra cash? Are there different jobs that get lumped under this title and is there a hierarchy?**
____
EDIT: *The question is specifically about television.* Writing, production and the use of titles including 'Executive Producer' is different from cinema. Hell I know this, even though I am five years old. If your answer relates to cinema or blurs the distinction it might be misleading.

[Assistant]
It's usually written into their contract - down to the size of the font and placement on the 'card' and even whether it stands alone or is under or above someone else's credit. It can vary from contract to contract in terms of what it really means for a person's paycheck; in some cases (certain movies, for example) it might mean that a person has invested some of their own money into a project. It's a form of ownership really.

Basically - it can mean many, many things.


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

[User]
[Dark Souls] what happens if the fire isn't linked? SPOILERS

SPOILERS

I read there is a difficult to achieve ending in DS3 where the protagonist doesn't link the fire, but I'm confused on what that means.  What happens to the world if the fire go's out?

[Assistant] The world goes dark, but after a long time, tiny sparks of flame will dance across the dark, implying that the flame will eventually relight itself. There is a different path, where someone powerful enough with "dark" (as in the dark soul) can corrupt the flame, ushering in an age of hollows, where the true form of humanity reigns supreme.