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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

If every major country is in billions of debt, where are they borrowing from? Who exactly do they owe? Are there any consequences for them being in debt? Why is it a problem when it gets large? Why was Greece in trouble, while Japan seemingly has high debt but is fine?

... 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: emils5, poomanshu, potato_octopi, cop-disliker69, reshkayden, agoraiosbum, cheesewithwhine, aythekay & anjabe96

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

How does the royal family make money? How much is the queen worth? Explain the Soverign Grant and Crown Estate. How much did Harry inherit? What exactly does the Royal family do?

... 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: youtoo2, pjwils, loki-l, pillowzzz, mastrik, callumgg, jakeismyname505, pythonpoole, dougde & haikuginger

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

When flights get cancelled because of heavy winds, why is it only a proportion of flights and not 100% that stop? Isn’t it a binary decision of: 'safe' or 'too dangerous'? After weather cancels thousands of flights and lots of people are displaced, how to they all get back on schedule when presumably flights for the next few days are already booked up?

... 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: skmotay, mr_gimenez, nil_defect_found & unpopularcrayon

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

How is the date for Easter determined each year? Why do we have an Easter bunny and chocolate Easter eggs? Why did Christmas become a bigger holiday than Easter? What animal is often used instead of a bunny in Australia?

... 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: nehala, nomocactusnames, vorengard, marcvanh, euthy, deadmanv5, juanpablo2016, override9636, underbuster and kouhoutek.

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

How can "superfluid" helium flow against gravity and climb up the walls of a container? Why was helium discovered on the Sun nearly thirty years before it was found on Earth? How does a gas used for party balloons play a critical role in life-saving MRI technology? Is inhaling helium to make funny voices actually a dangerous risk to your health? If helium is abundant in the universe, how are we "running out" of it on Earth?

... 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: typesfast, twiztedbydesign, camnewtonslaw, nattybumppo, disappointedbird, crepitor, dr_heron and major_fudgemuffin

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

Why do we see many professional athletes look like they were attacked by a giant octopus? How did a treatment from ancient history become the biggest trend in modern locker rooms? If a bruise is "stuck" blood, how can it actually help your blood flow? Can we really suck "bad energy" or "toxins" out of our muscles with a glass jar? Why do some doctors call this "quackery" while others say it's a powerful mental tool?

... 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: breeze_in_the_trees, tateshinski, phage0070, doingthehumptydance, mohamed and zhang

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

Why is crying so much more than just being sad? Why do your lungs perform those jerky gasps once the actual sobbing stops? Why does that painful "lump" form in our throats when the glottis tries to stay open for oxygen while we're trying to swallow? How do emotional tears differ chemically from the ones we use for onions, and do they actually "flush" stress hormones out of the body?

... 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: previous-change-4346, josvan135, gynoceros, nimo01, manatee3232, mike2220, tstack123 and lohborn

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

How did a country with only 5.7 million people beat much larger countries in Winter Olympic medals? Why does Norway ban competitive scoring and league standings for children under the age of twelve? How can not caring about winning at a young age actually create more world-class Olympic champions? Is it true that people in Norway actually use skiing as a primary way to get around?

... 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: nudave, ritterbruder2, rap and theathletichq

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

How do one way mirrors allow light to pass in only one direction? If light travels through the glass equally from both sides, why does the simple flip of a light switch create a hidden observer? How does a microscopic layer of aluminum or silver on a piece of glass actually bounce light back to create a reflection? Why does our brain instantly prefer our flipped mirror image over the real perspective captured in a photograph?

... 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: avalancheofneed, afropuf, coolminded, tequilaamocking_bird, blade_torlock, imtrollin_theyhatin, antiproton and spilgrim16

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

With such great speeds and a significant vertical drop, how do ski jumpers not sustain injury when landing? What makes one ski jumper better than others? How is a ski jumping course designed? Where is the largest ski jumping hill?

... 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: jcgk1123, badlawywr, simplequark, clairquilt, chunkykitty & nilfy.

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