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

Latest Episodes:

ELI5 Sinkholes - how do they happen? Apr 07, 2023

Show notes

How do sinkholes happen? What exactly are they? What are Cenotes? Why do sinkholes have so many different names around the world? What is the deepest sinkhole in the world?

... 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: jaded57, dixonmyaz, berkeleykev, back2beantown, francischarlesbacon and fish_823543

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 GPS - how is GPS a free service? Mar 31, 2023

Show notes

How is GPS free? How is it profitable for companies to offer services like navigation without subscription fees or ads? Why did the US government open GPS up to the public? Why does GPS work even when underground and in buildings? Explain triangulation like i’m 5!

... 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: gentlemantroglodyte, trick_individual_42, samkusnetz, thedankbank1021, bareback_cowboy, secretantworshiper and bbqroastgentlemantroglodyte, trick_individual_42, samkusnetz, thedankbank1021, bareback_cowboy, secretantworshiper and bbqroast.

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

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ELI5 Fusion - what is nuclear fusion and why is it important? Mar 24, 2023

Show notes

What is nuclear fusion and how is it significant to us? How is it different to nuclear fission? What is the significance of the recent news that we have reached ‘ignition’ of nuclear fusion?

... 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: wickinked, straight-faced_solo, km89, aetius476, nerdofnight and hurricanebrain

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Balloons - why is there a ring at the opening of a balloon? Mar 17, 2023

Show notes

Why is there a ring at the end of the opening of a balloon? What creates the noise of a ballon popping? Who invented the ballon? Why do helium balloons shrink in size over time?

.. 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: marv1nnn, trooper_x, secretantworshiper, fujikitakyusho, brian_vogel, 18_usc_47 and moskau50

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

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ELI5 Toothpaste - how did people brush before toothpaste? Mar 10, 2023

Show notes

How did people maintain their teeth before toothpaste? If the first modern toothpastes were not sold in tubes, what were they sold in? When did they add fluoride? Why can't our teeth heal like our skin and bones?

.. 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: dude-e, wenchister, the-illusiveman, duplojamaal, nemesis24k, perseus_turambar, who_cares_about_name and radbadtad

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Pirates - why fly the skull and bones flag? Mar 03, 2023

Show notes

What was the point of the skull and bones pirate flag? why would you give away that you are a pirate? What does no quarter mean? What is the jolly roger? With pirates in literature like Blackbeard, Calico Jack, Long John Silver and Captain Jack, which pirates were historical and which were fictional?

.. 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: hairweawekiller, stairway2evan, caesar_, pegajace, bulbliksmaz and tmahfan117

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

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ELI5 The Metric System - why is lbs the abbreviation for pounds? Feb 24, 2023

Show notes

Why is the abbreviation for the unit of weight, pounds LBS? Where did the metric system come from in the first place? Why is it so confusing to figure out if the USA an adopter of the metric system or not? Is there a metric system for time?

.. 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: stratocast7, londonpilot, wengerista, foxmt, tmdaniel, invincibill, voltronforlife and carbondnb

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

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ELI5 Ketchup - which country did the word ketchup originate from? Feb 17, 2023

Show notes

Where did the word ketchup come from? Why do the Cantonese and Malaysians both claim it originated from their languages? Where does the Indonesian, French and Arabic connections come in? What makes Ketchup special as a non-Newtonian fluid?

... we explain like I'm five

Thank you as always to the r/explainlikeimfive community.

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Tomatoes - fruit or vegetable? Feb 10, 2023

Show notes

Are tomatoes a fruit or vegetable? Why is ketchup considered a legal vegetable in California? Why are sun-dried tomatoes safe to eat, while eating a tomato you left on the windowsill for too long would probably make you ill? How can restaurants leave ketchup and mustard out all day but the bottles you buy in the store say to refrigerate after opening?

... 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: spczippo, cbd03b, lolgobbz, kgisaboss, amoeba, sadoni, oneandonlyjackschitt and barrysquatter

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 The Streisand Effect - what makes it so universal? Feb 03, 2023

Show notes

What is the Streisand effect? How was Barbara Streisand involved? Why is it such a universal from China to South Africa? What are the implications of the Streisand Effect in recent ‘right to be forgotten’ legal cases?

... we explain like I'm five

As always, thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community.

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

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com