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PODCAST

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

ELI5 Explain Like I"m Five 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.

education self-improvement

All Episodes

7:11

ELI5 Marble - why does it feel cool to the touch?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/11/17

What makes marble feel cold to the touch, especially in winter apartments? How does the use of marble in art reflect the cultural values of the civilizations that employed it? What exactly is marble and how is it formed geologically? What role does marble play in ancient Greek architecture, specifically in the Acropolis and its iconic structures? How does the history of marble reveal about human ambition, creativity, and the pursuit of perfection?... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the

en

8:36

ELI5 Aircraft Carriers - why are the runways at an...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/11/13

Why do modern carriers feature an angled flight deck instead of a straight full-length runway like their WWII predecessors? How fast does an aircraft have to go to take off from a carrier? Why don't planes just fall off the front of the ship when they take off? What are the costs and challenges associated with building longer runways on aircraft carriers? What advantages do nuclear-powered aircraft carriers have over conventional ones in terms of operational efficiency? ... we explain like I'm

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8:12

ELI5 Iron - is body iron different to construction iron?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/11/04

Is the Iron in our body different from the Iron used in construction? How did ancient cultures use meteoric iron without knowledge of metallurgy? What makes iron such a vital natural resource throughout human history? Why doesn’t iron in our blood react strongly to MRI machines? How does the imaginative concept of ""space swords"" link history and modern mythology around iron? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users

en

9:34

ELI5 Submarines - how the Titanic was a cover for a...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/10/17

If nuclear submarines can generate their own water and oxygen underwater, why do they need to surface at all? Why are submarine propellers always at the back, while airplane propellers are usually at the front? How did submarines and the US Navy play a part in the discovery of the Titanic? ... 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: ilearnrussian, lokiorin,

en

9:02

ELI5 The Gold Standard - how Isaac Newton helped gold...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/10/13

What is the gold standard and how did it influence currency value historically? How did the transition from a gold standard to fiat currency shape modern economics? What led to the abolition of the gold standard in the US during the Great Depression? What impact did Executive Order 6102 have on private gold ownership in 1933? How does the US dollar derive its value without being tied to gold? What part did Isaac Newton play in helping gold become the standard precious metal of choice?... we

en

8:25

ELI5 Locks and Keys - aren't there high chances that...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/10/05

Did you know a standard lock might have thousands of combination possibilities, yet yours might open someone else's door? How does a master key work such that it can open multiple locks without compromising security entirely? What makes lockpicking more of an art than a science, requiring skill and a deep understanding of how locks function? How can a particular ""jiggle-and-twist"" method sometimes allow a key to open unintended locks successfully? What surprising connections do locks and keys have

en

7:41

ELI5 Silica Gel Desiccants - can they be reused?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/09/15

What exactly are desiccants, and why are they commonly used in packaging? How does silica gel effectively trap moisture in humid environments? Can you explain the nanoporous structure of silica gel that makes it so efficient? Why do some silica gel packets change color when they reach capacity? Is silica gel really safe to use? Can you reuse them?... we explain like I'm five. Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed

en

7:51

ELI5 Poker - which US president used poker to launch...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/08/31

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 about?... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the

en

7:37

ElI5 LiDAR - how it sees the world?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/08/17

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?... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users

en

7:23

ELI5 Deck of Cards - why 52 playing cards and why so...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/08/08

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 interactions? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the

en

9:06

ELI5 Gout - what is it and why is the big toe a target?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/08/01

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 gout flare-ups? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the

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7:48

ELI5 Rubiks Cubes - how do some people solve it in...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/07/27

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 Erno Rubik initially create the cube, and what structural problem was he

en

6:46

ELI5 Toilets - why are public toilets tankless unlike...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/07/18

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 quality of life globally?... we explain like I'm five Thank you to

en

6:56

ELI5 Black Box Flight Recorders - what’s inside the...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/07/12

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 technology improve black box capabilities, such as more robust

en

8:15

ELI5 Wine - which came first, wine or beer?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/07/06

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 whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion:

en

7:26

ELI5 Muscle Knots - do muscles really get in knots...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/06/09

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 questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion:

en

6:34

ELI5 Berries - are bananas really a berry?!

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/06/01

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 actually aren’t? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the

en

7:07

ELI5 Paper Sizes - why paper sizes in the US are...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/05/23

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? ... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments

en

7:51

ELI5 Dragons - Why do dragons exist across almost...

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/05/09

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?... we explain like I'm five Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in

en

7:13

ELI5 Invisalign – are they better than braces?

ELI5 Explain Like I"m 5: Bite sized answers to stuff... ·

2025/05/02

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 of custom Invisalign aligners?... we explain like I'm five Thank

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53 results

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