ELI5 Explain Like I'm 5: Bite sized answers to stuff you should know about - in a mini podcast
Explain Like I'm Five, aka ELI5, is the mini-podcast series where we take the questions you always wanted to ask, and talk about them in a way that is easy to understand. Made possible by the amazing reddit community at r/explainlikeimfive. See episode show notes for user credits.
Episodes
August 31, 2025 • 7 mins
How did Poker evolve into a cultural phenomenon beyond just a card game? What makes poker different from other casino games in terms of player competition and strategy? Can you explain the betting process in poker and how players make decisions during each round? Poker on TV often shows those probabilities of a winning hand. How do players calculate this when they're playing? Are there some standard probabilities we should know abo...
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August 22, 2025 • 7 mins
What makes washing machines such a vital household invention in the modern world? How did washing machines transform household chores from 8-12 hours to a fraction of that time? Could you explain the role of water temperature in washing effectiveness and fabric care? Why do some fabrics, like suits, require special cleaning methods instead of traditional washing machine cycles?
... we explain like I'm five
Thank you to the r/exp...
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August 15, 2025 • 7 mins
What is LiDAR? Why is it helpful in addition to seeing things through cameras? How does LiDAR time-of-flight measure distance when light travels so fast—what tricks give picosecond precision? Why can LiDAR detect single-photon returns from angled surfaces, yet mirrors and shiny objects cause false readings? What are some surprising places LIDAR is used that most people wouldn’t expect?
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Thank you to th...
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August 8, 2025 • 7 mins
How did we end up with the deck of cards that we use today? Did the standard 52-card deck derive from Tarot cards, and what does that mean for gameplay? Is it true that shuffling a deck creates a unique order that has likely never existed before? Can you explain the concept of 52 factorial and why it matters for card arrangements? What fascinating social dynamics emerge around shuffling cards and how it influences player interactio...
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August 1, 2025 • 9 mins
What is gout, and how does it uniquely affect your body compared to other forms of arthritis? Why does gout primarily affect the big toe? How do uric acid crystals form, and what role do diet and lifestyle play in this painful process? Can hydration truly prevent gout attacks, and what are the risks of dehydration for those already affected by it? What about Epsom salt? How does it assist in alleviating joint pain during painful go...
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July 25, 2025 • 7 mins
How do competitive solvers manage to solve a Rubik's Cube in under 10 seconds, and what techniques do they use? What is the relationship between memorization and pattern recognition for record-breaking cube solvers? How do solvers memorize moves to successfully solve the cube blindfolded, and what techniques assist them in this process? How does the concept of ""God's number"" relate to the Rubik's Cube solving process? How did Ern...
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July 18, 2025 • 6 mins
Why do home toilets typically have tanks, while public toilets often don't? What are some benefits of tankless toilets in public spaces from a design perspective? What is the S bend there for and how has this toilet design influenced modern plumbing? What are the implications of Hong Kong using seawater for toilet flushing in a densely populated city? What toilet innovations do you find most significant in improving sanitation and ...
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July 11, 2025 • 6 mins
Why are airplane black boxes not connected to real-time satellite data systems? What data does a black box contain and how does it contribute to improving aviation safety after an accident is investigated? How do black boxes manage to survive catastrophic accidents and remain so resilient under extreme conditions? What makes flight recorders, or ""black boxes,"" so crucial after airplane accidents? How could future advancements in ...
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July 4, 2025 • 8 mins
Which came first, wine or beer? Is it true that the birthplace of wine is Georgia, not France or Italy? Can any wine truly age forever, or does it have a finite lifespan where quality peaks and then diminishes? Why did California wines triumph in the Judgment of Paris, and what does this say about blind taste tests?
... we explain like I'm five
Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users w...
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June 27, 2025 • 7 mins
How did ancient sailors rely on beer for hydration? What does history tell us about alcohol's role in survival? Why was beer so essential for laborers in ancient Egypt, especially during pyramid construction? Why is beer considered more important than other alcoholic beverages in historical contexts?
... we explain like I'm five
Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions a...
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June 20, 2025 • 8 mins
What is creatine, and how does it work in our body during high-intensity activities like sprinting or weightlifting? Did you know creatine boosts ATP production, our body's immediate energy source, amplifying performance in short, intense workouts? What unique role does creatine play in muscle recovery and growth, especially regarding myosatellite cells? Is it true that creatine can lead to an increase in muscle volume by retaining...
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June 13, 2025 • 7 mins
Are induction stoves quicker than gas stoves? How does using an induction stove compare to using gas or conventional electric stoves? What is the secret behind how induction stoves can boil water so quickly? Can you explain how induction cooktops heat pans without heating themselves? Do induction stoves require specific cookware for efficient cooking?
... we explain like I'm five
Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and...
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June 6, 2025 • 7 mins
What is really going on when you get a bump in your back or neck muscle that hurts when you press on it? Do muscles really get knots? How do they form? Why are they not detected in scans like x-rays or MRIs? Why do deep tissue massages sometimes make them feel more sore? What are ways to prevent muscle knots?
... we explain like I'm five
Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose qu...
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May 30, 2025 • 6 mins
What surprising fruit is botanically classified as a berry but often confuses people in everyday conversation? How do the definitions of ""berry"" and ""fruit"" differ between botanical science and everyday cooking? Did you know that watermelons, tomatoes, and cucumbers are also classified as berries? What implications does this have for our cooking? Can you share some mind-boggling examples of fruits we think are berries but actua...
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May 23, 2025 • 7 mins
What’s the historical reason for the U.S. using "Letter" paper size over the international standard A4 paper? What inconveniences do people face in North America due to the different paper sizes compared to the rest of the world? How does the unique aspect ratio of A4 paper help in scaling paper without wasting space? What about B and C format paper?
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Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community ...
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May 16, 2025 • 8 mins
What exactly is a defibrillator? Why is the analogy of jump starting a car incorrect? What’s happening in the heart when a shock is delivered? What is the AED and how do you spot one in public? What happens when you activate an AED? Who invented it?
... 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: yll...
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May 9, 2025 • 7 mins
Why do dragons capture our imagination across different cultures and eras when it isn't a real creature? What psychological factors contribute to our collective fascination with dragon legends around the world? What fascinating connections exist between ancient civilizations and the stories of dragons they created? Why do dragons symbolize chaos in the West but represent good fortune in cultures like China?
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May 2, 2025 • 7 mins
Could jaw surgery be the faster solution for realigning teeth, and what are the risks? How exactly does wearing Invisalign gradually shift your teeth into the desired position? What’s the biggest misconception people have about Invisalign compared to traditional braces? How has aggressive direct-to-consumer marketing made Invisalign a household name despite its origins? What role does 3D printing technology play in the production o...
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April 25, 2025 • 8 mins
What is Stoicism, and how does it apply to our modern lives today? How does Stoicism differ from popular self-help interpretations of its principles? Can you explain the four key Stoic virtues: Wisdom, Courage, Temperance, and Justice? What makes Stoicism relevant during challenging times, such as the recent pandemic? How can mastering emotions enhance our practice of Stoicism in daily life?
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Thank you...
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April 18, 2025 • 7 mins
What makes the Panama Canal’s lock system so essential compared to the Suez Canal’s lack of locks? How do locks help manage the canal’s significant elevation change across mountainous terrain? Why was constructing a wide trench connecting the Pacific and Atlantic oceans deemed too complicated and risky? Why did the U.S. ultimately choose Panama for the canal after initially considering Nicaragua as a better option? What historical ...
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