ELI5:Plants evolved caffeine as a literal insecticide to paralyze and kill bugs that try to eat them. Why did human biology decide that this lethal botanical neurotoxin is the exact chemical we need to wake up and answer corporate emails?

ELI5: If trees get their carbon from CO₂ in the air, how can that same carbon end up forming huge amounts of solid material like wood, coal, diamonds, and the carbon in steel?

r/explainlikeimfive·12

ELI5: How does the ground stay stable above oil drilling sites?

r/explainlikeimfive·10

ELI5: Why does dirty air behind another Formula 1 car make overtaking so difficult?

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ELI5: How does short term and long term memory work?

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ELI5: When weather professionals say "it's __ degrees but feels like __ degrees"... isn't that subjective?

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ELI5: How can a country have a huge economy but a relatively weak currency?

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ELI5:Plants evolved caffeine as a literal insecticide to paralyze and kill bugs that try to eat them. Why did human biology decide that this lethal botanical neurotoxin is the exact chemical we need to wake up and answer corporate emails?

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