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

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

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

By: ELI5 Explain Like I'm Five Podcast
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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.Eli5thepodcast Earth Sciences Science Social Sciences
Episodes
  • ELI5 Helium - is there really a global shortage?

    ELI5 Helium - is there really a global shortage?
    Apr 10 2026
    How can "superfluid" helium flow against gravity and climb up the walls of a container? Why was helium discovered on the Sun nearly thirty years before it was found on Earth? How does a gas used for party balloons play a critical role in life-saving MRI technology? Is inhaling helium to make funny voices actually a dangerous risk to your health? If helium is abundant in the universe, how are we "running out" of it on Earth? ... 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: typesfast, twiztedbydesign, camnewtonslaw, nattybumppo, disappointedbird, crepitor, dr_heron and major_fudgemuffin 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
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    9 mins
  • ELI5 Cupping Therapy - can bruises really heal you?

    ELI5 Cupping Therapy - can bruises really heal you?
    Mar 13 2026
    Why do we see many professional athletes look like they were attacked by a giant octopus? How did a treatment from ancient history become the biggest trend in modern locker rooms? If a bruise is "stuck" blood, how can it actually help your blood flow? Can we really suck "bad energy" or "toxins" out of our muscles with a glass jar? Why do some doctors call this "quackery" while others say it's a powerful mental tool? ... 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: breeze_in_the_trees, tateshinski, phage0070, doingthehumptydance, mohamed and zhang 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
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    7 mins
  • ELI5 Crying - why do we cry with both sadness and joy?

    ELI5 Crying - why do we cry with both sadness and joy?
    Mar 6 2026
    Why is crying so much more than just being sad? Why do your lungs perform those jerky gasps once the actual sobbing stops? Why does that painful "lump" form in our throats when the glottis tries to stay open for oxygen while we're trying to swallow? How do emotional tears differ chemically from the ones we use for onions, and do they actually "flush" stress hormones out of the body? ... 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: previous-change-4346, josvan135, gynoceros, nimo01, manatee3232, mike2220, tstack123 and lohborn 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
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    8 mins
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