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Context This is a weekly feature on Reddit's /r/AskScience subreddit where users can submit questions related to engineering, mathematics, and computer science. The aim is to foster a space for curious minds to seek answers from experts within these fields. Users are encouraged to ask any question, no matter how big or small, speculative or straightforward. Simple Answer You can ask any question about engineering, math, or computer science, even if it's a bit out there. Experts in these fields will try to answer your questions. Don't be afraid to ask anything, no question is too simple or complex. Make sure your question is on topic, otherwise it will be removed. If you want to become an expert answering questions, there are guidelines to follow. Detailed Answer Ask Anything Wednesday (AAW) is a weekly feature on the popular science subreddit, /r/AskScience, dedicated to answering questions from users across a wide range of scientific disciplines. This particular AAW focuse

Context A television commercial mentioned a solar flare causing a 25th hour in the day. This raises the question of whether such a scenario is scientifically possible. Simple Answer The Earth's rotation determines the length of a day, which is approximately 24 hours. Solar flares are powerful bursts of energy from the Sun. While solar flares can affect Earth's magnetic field, they do not alter the planet's rotation speed. A change in Earth's rotation would require a significant external force, which solar flares do not possess. Therefore, a solar flare cannot create a 25th hour in a day. Detailed Answer The concept of a 25th hour appearing due to a solar flare is purely fictional and scientifically impossible. Our planet's daily cycle is determined by its rotation on its axis, which takes approximately 24 hours to complete. This rotation defines the duration of a day, and it's a fundamental aspect of our planet's motion. While solar flares are powerful ener

Context The Maillard reaction is a chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars that creates a delicious brown crust on meat. However, some sources claim that meat contains very little sugar. If this is true, how can the Maillard reaction happen in meat? Simple Answer The Maillard reaction needs sugars to work, but meat doesn't have a lot of sugar. Instead, the sugars come from the breakdown of muscle tissue in meat. When you cook meat, the heat breaks down the muscle, releasing sugars called 'reducing sugars'. These reducing sugars are then available to react with amino acids in the meat, causing the Maillard reaction. So, even though meat doesn't have a lot of sugar directly, it's still able to brown nicely because it has sugars released during cooking. Detailed Answer While it's true that meat doesn't contain a significant amount of free sugars like glucose or fructose, the Maillard reaction doesn't require those specific sugars to occur. Instead,

Context This question explores the limitations of our current astronomical observation methods. We only see light that has traveled to us from distant objects, meaning we are looking into the past. This raises the question of whether we can truly understand the present state of the universe, especially regarding the possibility of extraterrestrial life. Simple Answer Imagine you are looking at a picture of your friend from last year. The picture shows how they looked last year, not how they look right now. Space is so vast that the light from distant objects takes a long time to reach us, like a long journey. We see the light from these objects as it was when it left them, not how they are now. So, when we look at a galaxy millions of light-years away, we are seeing how it looked millions of years ago. It's like looking at a time machine, but we can't see the present, only the past. Detailed Answer The question you're asking delves into the fascinating concept of time and

Context This question explores the potential challenges posed by evolving viruses to our immune systems. Specifically, it asks if developing antibodies against a virus can become problematic when the virus evolves, leading to partially effective antibodies and a weakened immune response. The question seeks to understand the interaction between viral evolution and antibody efficacy. Simple Answer Imagine your immune system has special keys to fight off a specific virus. If that virus changes, it's like the virus getting a new lock. The old keys might still work a little bit, but they won't be as good as before. This means your body might still try to fight the virus with the old keys, but it won't be as effective as before. The virus might even get stronger, leading to a more difficult battle. This is why sometimes you might feel sick even if you've already had a certain virus before, especially if the virus has changed a bit. It's like when you have a new key made f

Context This question explores the time frame required for an infected mosquito to transmit diseases like malaria or dengue during a bite. It specifically asks if transmission occurs immediately upon biting or only after the mosquito is fully engorged. Simple Answer A mosquito doesn't need to be full to spread diseases. It only takes a few seconds for an infected mosquito to transmit diseases like malaria and dengue. The disease-carrying parasites are already present in the mosquito's saliva. When the mosquito bites, it injects its saliva into your bloodstream. This saliva carries the parasites that cause the diseases. Detailed Answer The duration of a mosquito bite is not a significant factor in determining whether or not a disease is transmitted. Infected mosquitoes can transmit diseases like malaria and dengue within seconds of biting, even if they don't feed fully. The reason for this is that the disease-carrying parasites are already present in the mosquito's saliv

Context While the common explanation mentions oxygen concentration, it lacks depth in explaining the mechanism behind different color auroras. This question delves into the specific processes that excite different wavelengths at different altitudes. Simple Answer Imagine tiny particles from the sun, called electrons, hitting the air like tiny balls. When electrons hit oxygen at a lower altitude, they make it 'excited' and it glows green. But higher up, the air is thinner and the electrons have more energy. So, when they hit oxygen higher up, they excite it differently and it glows red. It's like hitting a drum lightly to make a soft sound, but hitting it harder makes a louder sound. Detailed Answer The aurora borealis, or northern lights, are a captivating display of colorful lights in the sky, primarily caused by charged particles from the sun interacting with the Earth's atmosphere. The color of the aurora is determined by the type of gas and the altitude at which th

Context The contiguous United States, excluding Alaska and Hawaii, boasts numerous mountain ranges. These ranges, including the Cascades, the Sierra Nevadas, and the Rockies, all feature peaks that reach impressive heights. However, a curious pattern emerges: the tallest peaks across these diverse ranges all top out under 15,000 feet. This consistent height limit, despite the varying geological origins of these mountains, raises an intriguing question. Why does this elevation limit appear to exist? Simple Answer Imagine the Earth's crust as a giant puzzle. Each piece is a tectonic plate, constantly moving and bumping into each other. These collisions cause the land to fold and rise, creating mountains. Mountains, like anything else, want to be stable. When they get too tall, they become unstable and can crumble under their own weight. Think of a tall tower of blocks - if you keep adding blocks, it eventually topples over. The Earth's gravity pulls everything down. As mo

Context This question explores the concept of chromosome fusion, a significant evolutionary event where two chromosomes combine to form a single, larger chromosome. This process has happened in human evolution, leading to the unique structure of our chromosome 2. The question delves into the challenges and possibilities of reproduction when a single organism experiences a chromosome fusion, considering the potential for viable offspring with individuals possessing the original, unfused chromosomes. Simple Answer Imagine a new type of animal suddenly appears with a new, combined chromosome. This animal can't easily reproduce with the old type because they have different numbers of chromosomes. It's like trying to fit a puzzle piece with the wrong number of edges. In rare cases, the offspring from this new animal might survive, but it's not very likely. This new animal might need to find another similar animal with the same fused chromosome to reproduce successfully. This eve