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

Can you explain the role of a jockey during a horse race? Why do horses start side by side in a race instead of a staggered start like in human races? How does horse racing differ from dog racing, and why is the latter often frowned upon? How betting odds work in horse racing? ... 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: k0fi96, anecdotallyextant, alienfreaks04, the_camperdave, gameofchat, theicklestone, sceneofshadows, rsdancey and yourdadsbff To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

How did the NATO phonetic alphabet come about? Why were specific words chosen for each letter? Has it changed over time? Why is the number 9 spoken as “niner”? ... 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: i_hate_platpi_ama, mykro76, hugepilchard, instantpowdy and randomusefulbits To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What do all the signs on an airport taxiway mean? What do the various markings and lights indicate? How are parallel runways numbered? Why does Atlanta Airport use an alternative NATO Phonetic Alphabet? ... we explain like I'm five To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What is it and why is Gore-tex so special? Aren’t there other materials that are just as waterproof? How was it discovered? Why does proper care of Gore-tex jackets involve the tumble dryer? ... 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: leonagano, kanobe24, oliverhazzzardperry, ligrgame and bassonb To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

How do trains maintain traction on the tracks, especially during rainy or icy conditions? How do the wheels not slip off? Why do we always see stone or gravel on train tracks? How did early trains in the 1800s make sure they didn’t collide into each other? ... 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: leprechaun2me, lblluke, kuddemuddel, toxiclayishimura_mjd, darthartero and dcsantonio To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What exactly is a bailout and how does it work? If a company gets bailed out with taxpayer money, shouldn’t the public now own it? Why do governments often choose to bail out banks? Why don't they just let them go under? How do CEOs from failing companies bailout with golden parachutes? Where does the money come from? ... 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: leokz145, max_p0wer, effofexisy, dirt_mcgirt, dawnoftheshred, vivekparam, dudeitsmeee To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Is it possible for a regular passenger jet to break the sound barrier by riding on a really fast jet stream? How do jet streams form in the first place? Do they change throughout the year? How are they related to the polar vortex? How do commercial aircraft make use of the jet stream? ... 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: warshadow, hugepilchard, stknrdr, burninatingpeasants and hemlockone To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Is matcha Japanese or Chinese? What makes matcha different from other green teas? How is it made? What is the special whisk for? How do you tell if the matcha you’re buying is high quality? How much caffeine is in matcha? ... 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: vertexoflife, appleanche and rivertea To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What else determines the quality of olive oil and what's the difference between extra virgin, virgin, and refined olive oil? How is olive oil extracted? What are the proven health benefits of consuming olive oil? ... 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: probbablyacantolope, frommerman, gcarsk, natureman123 & attackads To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Why do we still change clocks to Daylight Savings Time when so many people dislike it? Who came up with the idea in the first place? Why is there a movement to permanent Daylight Savings Time? Are farmers for or against Daylight Savings Time? ... 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: sushiandwow, eigenfood, tripshed, bunchoatoms, jiceman and grizzletron. To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

How did ancient civilizations in 45 B.C. with their ancient technology know that the earth orbits the sun in 365 days? What is the exact length of an Earth year? How does the Gregorian calendar adjust for this discrepancy? There are some exceptions to leap years right? What is the Birthday Paradox? And does it apply to leap year birthdays? ... 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: tommymikhaylov, davidrfz, pleural_mesothelioma, ansuz07, antithesys, mantufelis, evilabed24, ultopsso_yt To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What is hypnosis capable of? Can anyone be hypnotized? Are there certain people who are more susceptible to it? Are there any potential dangers or side effects associated with hypnosis? How is hypnosis induced? Can someone put themselves into hypnosis? Can hypnosis be used to control or manipulate people against their will? ... 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: thelazyguy001, lindsaymurray, thetimeischow, omarwazhere, aikawa_kizuna, animalprofessor, solidgol and the_wandering_mind To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Why does scratching eczema affected skin feel good in that moment, when it actually worsens the skin condition? Why is it that eczema often appears in small patches on the body rather than being spread out? How does hydrocortisone work to relieve itching and inflammation caused by eczema? Is Eczema contagious? ... 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: trianglesaurus, picklesrnoturfriend, qblez, 7superbaby7, jaydenlzw and oopsielalala To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Is there a significant difference between hand soap and body soap? Why does using bar soap often leave a "squeaky clean" feeling compared to liquid soap? How about antibacterial soap that has become popular in recent years? Is it more effective than regular soap? Is it alcohol in them that kills the bacteria? ... 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: dankutobi, andiell, parallax3, germtheory, typhoneus, wafflebauf, formyfrog, catwhowalksbyhimself, amaranth1977 and lumpywon To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

How do researchers accurately estimate the population of endangered species in the wild? How can the axolotl be both critically endangered and readily available in pet stores? How did the giant panda get off the endangered list? What is the process of how a species is declared endangered? ... 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: inkypaws, nephisimian, jeremy_martin, iprocrastina, breckenridgeback, kulalolk, shejesa and cosmic_gallant To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What is the Aurora Borealis? How do the various colors come about? Why are the northern lights primarily seen at the poles? Isn’t the magnetic north moving and what does that mean for where to spot the Aurora Borealis? What would it be like to be inside an Aurora? Is it even possible? Can you see the northern lights from space? ... 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: venbrou, speckledjim, target880, anomalousenigma, itsapeljax, uncledan2017, jermleeds, zhendejiade99, thejeeronian, moogiemcfly and karlrutabaga To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

What is the difference between venomous and poisonous? How do snakes never get in a knot and if they do, how do they untangle themselves? Why do snakes have such potent venom? What happens when predators eat part of a snake that contains venom? Why are snakes evolving to not use their venom? ... 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: casperslakes, xychologist, freestyle-scientist, freebytes, qyle95, yesssssssssssno, cameltrowe and phage0070 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Why was VitaminWater sued over the 33g of sugar in each bottle? How do our bodies work with artificial sweeteners? Why do diet sodas taste different to regular ones? Are artificial sweeteners a good way to lose weight? Do they cause cancer? Why nutrition labels for TicTacs list zero sugar? ... we explain like I'm five Study referenced in this episode: Association between intake of sweetened beverages with all-cause and cause-specific mortality: a systematic review and meta-analysis https://academic.oup.com/jpubhealth/advance-article-abstract/doi/10.1093/pubmed/fdab069/6218497 Thank you to the r/explainlikeimfive community and in particular the following users whose questions and comments formed the basis of this discussion: rhumsaa, iamaddicted2r_ddit, sablemint, richmana, phenylacetate, clburton24 and joe6161 To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

Why are onomatopoeias different in different languages? If the sound is the same, why is it that the word for the sound is different? When was the first Onomatopoeia? Why is the word ‘cliche’ an onomatopoeia? ... 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: masher_oz, drunken_assassin, seductive_cactus, drsjsmith, yoshiboo22, lobsang_ludd, vamosity-cosmic, mrdeathchicken and nkalinos To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com

How does the body decide where to add or take away fat when gaining or losing weight? Why is it that lower stomach fat and lower back fat are harder to lose compared to other areas? Why does working a muscle with low weight and high volume vs high weight and low volume yield different results? Why do powerlifters wear those big belts around their waists? ... 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: gailson0192, sirduke6, limbonics, maxwellvador, maximov86, dirtydbag, Mookie_Merkk, djmcmayhem, thetreece and bakemechocolatecake To the ELI5 community that has supported us so far, thanks for all your feedback and comments. Join us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/ or send us an e-mail: ELI5ThePodcast@gmail.com