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

How is dry ice made? Why does metal make a 'screaming sound' when dry ice is touched to it? Is it possible to make fizzy fruit with it? Why should we never put dry ice into a swimming pool?   ... 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: utahraptorIsete...

What is so special about the blue variety of LED? Why do LEDs still get so hot if they are supposed to be energy efficient? If LEDs were invented in the 1960s, why have they only become popular in the last decade or two? Why did the blue LED warrant a Nobel Prize in Physics?   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the following u...

Why does the world seem so quiet when it’s snowing outside? How is a snowflake formed? What atmospheric conditions make for a perfect snowflake? What makes perfect ski snow?   ... 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: xanthilamide, thegreengenie, ju...

Explain asteroids vs comets vs meteoroids? An asteroid sample from the asteroid Bennu is now on its way back to earth (due in 2023) - why does NASA want to catch an asteroid and send samples back to earth? Did a meteorite kill the dinosaurs?   ... 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...

Why did Pluto suddenly became a dwarf planet? Why did they change it in 2006, and who defined what makes a planet and what doesn't? Why did we get so excited about new photos of Pluto a few years ago?   ... 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: sile...

Why is a town in Canada called Asbestos? If cancer is a bad mutation of a cell, how does a fiber like asbestos cause it? What made asbestos so popular in the first place? If asbestos causes cancer, why isn't fiberglass as deadly?   ... 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 b...

Why does MSG have a bad reputation? What is Monosodium Glutamate? How does it make everything taste delicious? What is umami taste? Is MSG really unhealthy for you, or is that a myth?   ... 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: dude_meister, asquier...

Why haven’t there been more ridiculously fast planes built, like the SR-71 over the last few decades? What was the real reason that the Concorde stopped flying? Did Richard Branson nearly buy it? What about fast planes in the future?   ... 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 t...

Why do adult shampoos sting your eyes while kid shampoos are eye friendly? What is the difference between shampoo, soap and shower gel? Why is it that no matter the color of the shampoo, the foam is always the same - white? If shampoo strips away oil and conditioner adds oil, how are 2 in 1 shampoo + conditioner products possible?   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlikeimf...

How does the body get vitamin D from the sun? Why is vitamin D not actually a vitamin? Why do we need it? What foods are high in vitamin D? What happens if we get too much? Why are there so many types of vitamin B (e.g. B1, B2, B3, B6, B9, etc), but only one type of some other vitamins (such as C and D)?   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and...

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 nar...

Why are they called chips in England and fries in the US? If they weren't invented in France, where did they come from? What is it about french fries in particular that make them nearly impossible to taste good once reheated in the microwave, unlike a pizza? Is it true that  Thomas Jefferson brought French Fries to the United States?   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlike...

Why does microwaving a mug of water alongside a frozen bread roll, keeps the bread from getting soggy? Why can't we put metal objects in the microwave? Especially since the inside is made of metal, including the metal mesh on the inside of the door! How does a meal that takes 30 minutes to cook in an oven cook in 4 in a microwave? There are so many questions about microwaves!   ... We explain like...

When scientists say an eagle can see a rabbit in a field from a mile away, what do eagles actually see. Is their vision automatically more zoomed in? Do they have better than 20/20 vision? Why is 20/20 vision not perfect eye sight? Could I buy glasses that improve my vision beyond 20/20?   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular th...

Why did the Russian team arrive at the 1908 olympics 12 days late? How does the whole world agree on what day and date it is? Why did the Pope step in to replace the Julian calendar? Why is 2000 a leap year but 2100 isn't? What was the most recent country to adopt the Gregorian calendar.   ... We explain like i'm five!   Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular th...

Why are nursery rhymes so morbid? Is Ring Around the Rosie really based on the bubonic plague? Why were they used as anti-authority memes? Where does the term Mother Goose rhymes come from?   ... 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: bon7bon2000, th...

When I pluck a hair out of my forehead, the area hurts a lot, but I can reduce the pain to nearly zero simply by briefly rubbing the area. Why is this? What is the gate control theory? Why do some hairs grow only grow to a certain length (like our eyebrows), while others grow forever? ... We explain like i'm five! Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community as always and in particular the follo...

Why is chicken meat white, but beef red? Is veal red or white? What color is human meat? Why is squid meat so different from the meat of other animals?   ... 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: pawataka, momsemann, ibn_cthulhu, cptsaysin, innovato...

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,...

Which US city has a 4 block area nearly identical to its sister city of Seville, Spain? Are twin cities a gimmick or is there more to the relationship? Where did the concept start? What's the most boring sister city combo?   ... 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...

Why did the De Havilland Comet aircraft lead to a critical design decision? Why do planes and ships have circular windows instead of square ones? Why do airplanes have more windows than seat rows?   ... 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: lilmamam...

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, irritatedc...

What is deja vu? Why does it occur? Explain the weird sensation when you remember that you forgot something, but can't remember what it is that you forgot? What is presque vu? How about jamais vu - often described as the opposite of deja vu?   ... 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...

Why do some colors make for popular surnames (like Green, Brown, Black), but others don't (like Blue, Orange, Red)? Why are there so few Korean surnames? What is the queen's last name?   ... 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: c0mandr, jilinoppaa,...

What exactly are antibodies? Why are they talking Can you get protection from a disease through a blood transfusion from someone who has survived that same disease? What's the difference between the innate immune system and adaptive immune system? If babies get antibodies from their mother's milk, why then do they get afflicted with diseases the mother has gone through like chicken pox?   ... We e...