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

Latest Episodes:

ELI5 3D Printing - Does NASA really email tools to space? Oct 12, 2026

Show notes

How does NASA effectively email physical tools and equipment to astronauts on the Space Station? If you 3D print a vinyl record from an MP3 file, is the music digital or analog? How exactly does 3D printing work like a computer-controlled hot glue gun? Why is 3D printing a game-changer for prosthetic limbs? Why can't 3D printers replace traditional factory assembly lines for mass-producing everyday items?

... 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: genelatifah, fyre2387, flamedieout, dkf295, mroctantis, atrain82187, t0m0hawk and nola-kola

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Money Laundering - what, why and how? Oct 02, 2026

Show notes

What is money laundering? Why can’t a criminal just spend good old fashioned cash? What are some of the ways used by criminals to launder money? Besides casinos, why are laundromats often mentioned? Why are countries like Panama and Cyprus ideal for laundering money?

... 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: courtimus, atomkanister, el_mochilero, skatingraccoon, jakob4800, mechadragon469, m34tbag, slippedtheslope and paxnova

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Carbonated Water - why does flat soda still taste like soda? Sep 25, 2026

Show notes

Why do soft drinks exclusively use carbon dioxide instead of gases like oxygen or nitrogen? Why does "flat" soda still have a distinct taste compared to regular tap water? Why does Perrier extract natural gas from its spring water only to pump it back in later? Does the carbonation in sparkling water affect your body’s hydration differently than drinking regular water? Why do smaller bottles of sparkling water go flat significantly faster than larger two-liter bottles?

... 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: uniqueusername3171, irteris, daneilthemule, ggd_x, omega_weapon85, plsdntdwnvote, melange_powered and malvoliosf

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Hurricanes - why don't they hit the West Coast? Sep 18, 2026

Show notes

Why don’t hurricanes seem to hit the West Coast of the USA or Europe? What is the Coreolis effect and why does it determine which direction a hurricane spins? They say the water flushes down a toilet or down a drain in opposite directions in the northern and southern hemispheres - fact or fiction? Why did hurricanes all have female names at one stage?

... 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: kristin9898, baroncoop, puzzlealbatross, competitivetable1, vinnaey, agate_ and bizitmap.

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Dreams - why is it so hard to run in a dream? Sep 11, 2026

Show notes

Why do we forget our dreams in the mornings? Why is it so hard to run in our dreams? Why is it explained by proprioceptive feedback? How come kids can't control peeing in their sleep the way adults can? Does putting someone's hand in a warm bowl of water really make them wet the bed?

... We explain like i'm five!

Sponsored by Goodnight Stories by Rebel Girls - check out Laurene Powell Jobs narrating the first episode from Season 4!

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: carderrrr, prob_dehydrated, bustamcthunderstick, noobsauce9001, 7thcourier, pkmkii, midafus, pavlovshumans & baeocystin.

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Lightning - why does it zig zag and not go straight down? Sep 04, 2026

Show notes

Why does lightning travel in a zig-zag rather than a straight line?So why does it strike precise points such as the end of a pole? If the average lightning bolt contains up to 1 billion volts, how is it that humans can survive being struck? How many times does the Empire State Building get stuck by lightning every year?

... We explain like i'm five!

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: mjconns, lollersauce914, edwinshap, josephwb, lithium, revraven, piho36, cleanasuhwhistle1, gleddez, mg2r,

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Air Conditioning - How does it work? Aug 28, 2026

Show notes

How does AC and refrigeration in general work? Why is Freon gas used? Why do some people say that air conditioning is a cause of Legionnaires' disease?

... We explain like i'm five!

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community, and specifically the following reddit users whose questions and responses formed the basis of this conversation: theod4re, burried_treasure, off2seethewiz, jbota, futurol & super_ag

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Ultra Violet - should we bother with low SPF sunscreens? Aug 21, 2026

Show notes

How does UV light sanitize? If UV is dangerous for our skin, why bother with low SPF sunscreens? How does sunscreen work? What does the SPF number measure? What sunscreen products were recalled recently?

... 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: runiat, jamaalfuckincharles, bobt21, isthisnamegood, charlesdparrott, dehacked, void_vix, uh-oh-cherio, y-void, thebearwillbefine, ribbitboing, opus666 and mleitch

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Mosquitoes - why do some people get bitten more? Aug 14, 2026

Show notes

Do women get more mosquito bites than men? Does your blood type mean you get bitten more? Why are mosquitos unable to spread HIV and AIDS? Why is it only female mosquitos that bite?

... We explain like i'm five!

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: shrewdmilk5, irritatedcitydweller, sintripital, henipah, martupdown & quarkylittlehadron

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

ELI5 Ice Cream - why is vanilla the default flavor? Aug 07, 2026

Show notes

Why is vanilla the neutral flavor? Who invented ice cream? Why does ice cream in root beer foam so much (and taste so good)? Which country in the world consumes the most ice cream per capita?

... We explain like i'm five!

Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: coolrulez555, arokthis, melia2005, zk686, masterofevilaku, triasatops1, dholmes85, tjorvensnorren, freetattoo, themundratales, bulksalty & audiotecnicality

To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Send us an e-mail:

ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

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