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

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. Join us on Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

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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. Join us on Twitter:

https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/

or send us an e-mail:

[email protected]

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!
 
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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. Join us on Twitter:
https://www.twitter.com/eli5ThePodcast/
or send us an e-mail:
[email protected]

Why is most fire equipment red in color? What happens if you use the wrong class of extinguisher on a grease or metal fire? Could the future of firefighting be a "dubstep cannon" that uses sound waves to kill flames?

... 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: jasonthefuzz, jebediah_johnson, rtpkickballer, audiblenod, markhunt1980, mpls_is_rivendell, dvn_rvthernot and dignitty.

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:

[email protected]

Why does a perfectly steady heartbeat actually serve as a warning sign you should not ignore? If your heart is a drummer, why is a little bit of "bad timing" a good thing? How can your smartwatch tell you are stressed before you even feel it? Why does splashing cold water on your face trigger an ancient, "hidden" survival reflex? Why did Neil Armstrong’s heart race to 150 BPM while his co-pilot stayed totally calm?

... 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: iacuriousguy1968, quesoqueso, elderberry2, spooky_fellow, swolemedic, uptowntwerk, narwhalondrugs and alternative-sea-6238

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:

[email protected]