ELI5 Explain Like I'm 5: Bite sized answers to stuff you should know about - in a mini podcast

Latest Episodes:

ELI5 Bubble Tea - how did it become a global sensation? May 31, 2024

Show notes

Who invented boba? Are bubble tea, pearl milk tea and boba all the same thing? Where is Tapioca originally from? If many people in Taiwan are lactose intolerant, how is it that milk tea would be invented there?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: thedarkabys, bazinga-5713, h1deki, fiercelyfuzzy, jordans_channel_, aeolianbroadsword and llanite

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Higgs Boson - how it was named the God Particle? May 24, 2024

Show notes

What exactly is the Higgs boson and why is it often referred to as the 'God Particle'? What is the significance of its discovery? What is a Boson? How does the Higgs Boson relate to the Big Bang Theory and the formation of the universe?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: aschentei, nottherealslash, elskerelks, mazaru , dissentologist and trueeyes

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Life Insurance - why the astronauts of Apollo 11 couldn’t buy life insurance? May 17, 2024

Show notes

How does life insurance actually work? What is the difference between term and whole life insurance? How do life insurance companies make money if everyone already dies? How do my lifestyle and health affect my premiums? How did a horror movie use life insurance to sell movie tickets? What happened when the astronauts of Apollo 11 tried to buy life insurance?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: querycrook, lord_probability, andrewtyne, demanbmore, babybunnybelly, longhorninnebraska, upset_force66 and blipsman

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 El Niño and La Niña - what exactly are they? May 10, 2024

Show notes

When did people start noticing El Niño and La Niña? What exactly are they? Where does the name come from? How do they affect global weather patterns? Do they really affect the Earth’s rotation?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: impar-exspiravit, thefiercedeity, nianp, colin52 and genxcub

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Horse Racing - what’s the role of the jockey? May 03, 2024

Show notes

Can you explain the role of a jockey during a horse race? Why do horses start side by side in a race instead of a staggered start like in human races? How does horse racing differ from dog racing, and why is the latter often frowned upon? How betting odds work in horse racing?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: k0fi96, anecdotallyextant, alienfreaks04, the_camperdave, gameofchat, theicklestone, sceneofshadows, rsdancey and yourdadsbff

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Alpha Bravo Charlie Delta - the NATO Phonetic Alphabet Apr 26, 2024

Show notes

How did the NATO phonetic alphabet come about? Why were specific words chosen for each letter? Has it changed over time? Why is the number 9 spoken as “niner”?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: i_hate_platpi_ama, mykro76, hugepilchard, instantpowdy and randomusefulbits

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Airport Runways - how are they numbered? Apr 19, 2024

Show notes

What do all the signs on an airport taxiway mean? What do the various markings and lights indicate? How are parallel runways numbered? Why does Atlanta Airport use an alternative NATO Phonetic Alphabet?

... we explain like I'm five

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Gore-Tex - what makes Gore-Tex so special? Apr 12, 2024

Show notes

What is it and why is Gore-tex so special? Aren’t there other materials that are just as waterproof? How was it discovered? Why does proper care of Gore-tex jackets involve the tumble dryer?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leonagano, kanobe24, oliverhazzzardperry, ligrgame and bassonb

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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ELI5 Train Tracks - how do trains maintain traction in slippery conditions? Apr 05, 2024

Show notes

How do trains maintain traction on the tracks, especially during rainy or icy conditions? How do the wheels not slip off? Why do we always see stone or gravel on train tracks? How did early trains in the 1800s make sure they didn’t collide into each other?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leprechaun2me, lblluke, kuddemuddel, toxiclayishimura_mjd, darthartero and dcsantonio

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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or send us an e-mail:

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ELI5 Bailouts - why don't governments own the companies they bail out? Mar 29, 2024

Show notes

What exactly is a bailout and how does it work? If a company gets bailed out with taxpayer money, shouldn’t the public now own it? Why do governments often choose to bail out banks? Why don't they just let them go under? How do CEOs from failing companies bailout with golden parachutes? Where does the money come from?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: leokz145, max_p0wer, effofexisy, dirt_mcgirt, dawnoftheshred, vivekparam, dudeitsmeee

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter:

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or send us an e-mail:

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