- ELI5: Why do animals see direct eye contact as an attack or a threat, when humans use it to connect with each other
I recently saw a video of a zoo keeper who interacts with a lion every single day. Even though they know each other well, the moment the keeper looked directly into the animal's eyes, it...
5,745 points1,059 comments3 d ago
- ELI5: Why cats follow us when we say "pspspspsps..." And how they learned it?
2,515 points375 comments6 d ago
- ELI5: In the 90s, when used AOL for the internet, why did it have to make that sound when logging on?
1,621 points391 comments3 d ago
- ELI5 Why do most animals have shorter lives than humans?
Just looking at my cat right now and wondering why he can't live as long as me.
1,266 points339 comments5 d ago
- ELI5: Why is pregnancy and childbirth so physically painful and traumatising for animals/humans when it’s necessary for survival?
Even in animals, elephants are nearly pregnant for two years, hyenas have a horrible birth. Even if we move past the pain thing, tearing etc, surely that’s a huge flaw as childbirth mortality was...
1,039 points418 comments6 d ago
- ELI5 why is "will not" won't and not win't?
948 points283 comments2 d ago
- ELI5: How can gun barrels handle so much pressure?
im currently researching about the mechanics of guns and i read on how much pressure each bullet producues but i read that a normal 9mm bullet produces 35k of psi but then i read that even thick...
864 points255 comments4 d ago
- ELI5: How do ships deal with waves that flood the deck/ waves that are taller than the ship itself?
798 points229 comments2 d ago
- Eli5 why do people with fevers experience coldness?
If a person’s body is at 101 degrees Fahrenheit, why do they shiver and report feeling cold? If a person raises body temperature with exercise, why isn’t this sensation replicated? What is...
638 points58 comments6 d ago
- ELI5: World wide national debt
It's confusing to me how the top countries are all in debt. How can debt be an asset? Highest Countries by Total Nominal Debt (Approximate) • United States: \~$40.7 trillion • China: \~$18.7...
511 points159 comments7 d ago