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

by eli5
113

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.

Recent Mentions
Recent Episodes
  • ELI5 Blood Types - do animals have different blood types just like humans?
    Apr 11, 2025 – 07:57
  • ELI5 Fish Oil - if it’s so good for you, why not use it more for cooking?
    Apr 4, 2025 – 06:53
  • ELI5 Traffic Lights - why not use pressure sensors?
    Apr 4, 2025 – 08:09
  • ELI5 GPUs - why are they better than CPUs for artificial intelligence?
    Mar 28, 2025 – 07:57
  • ELI5 Sunrise - why do sunrise and sunset look different?
    Mar 21, 2025 – 07:54
  • ELI5 Sliced Bread - why is it the greatest thing since…
    Mar 14, 2025 – 07:38
  • ELI5 Nautical Miles - why are they different from the regular mile?
    Mar 7, 2025 – 07:54
  • ELI5 AA Batteries - how did AA type batteries become standard and what about the A battery?
    Feb 28, 2025 – 07:25
  • ELI5 Meditation - Can meditation really change your brain?
    Feb 21, 2025 – 08:04
  • ELI5 Wolves - why are there big cats but not big dogs in the wild?
    Feb 14, 2025 – 07:56
  • ELI5 E. Coli - what is it and why isn’t it all bad?
    Feb 7, 2025 – 06:21
  • ELI5 Schrödinger's Cat - is the cat both dead and alive and why does it matter in quantum mechanics?
    Jan 31, 2025 – 06:22
  • ELI5 Rare Earth Metals - why they aren’t actually rare?
    Jan 24, 2025 – 06:55
  • ELI5 LASIK - how exactly does it fix your vision?
    Jan 17, 2025 – 07:18
  • ELI5 Ligers, Lions and Tigers - who would win in a fight?
    Jan 10, 2025 – 08:00
  • ELI5 Sleepwalking - is it dangerous to wake someone in the middle of a sleep walk?
    Jan 3, 2025 – 07:11
  • ELI5 Wasabi - is most wasabi really “fake” outside of Japan?
    Dec 27, 2024 – 07:38
  • ELI5 Spicy Food - if water is not a good antidote, what is?
    Dec 20, 2024 – 06:26
  • ELI5 Rubber Bands - why do they become brittle over time?
    Dec 13, 2024 – 06:47
  • ELI5 Mint - why it became associated with freshness?
    Dec 6, 2024 – 07:12
  • ELI5 Black Friday - why is it called Black Friday?
    Nov 29, 2024 – 06:52
  • ELI5 Myopia - why can’t you buy myopia glasses off the shelf like reading glasses?
    Nov 22, 2024 – 06:56
  • ELI5 Volcanoes - can they be used for dumping trash?
    Nov 15, 2024 – 08:37
  • ELI5 Lab Grown Diamonds - why do they have lower resale values?
    Nov 8, 2024 – 06:50
  • ELI5 MRIs - how do they work and why are they so noisy?
    Nov 1, 2024 – 07:38
  • ELI5 Aircraft Engines - why propellers on military planes vs jet engines?
    Oct 25, 2024 – 07:52
  • ELI5 Speed of Light - why can’t we exceed it?
    Oct 18, 2024 – 06:13
  • ELI5 QR Codes - how do they work even with portions covered or obscured?
    Oct 11, 2024 – 06:43
  • ELI5 Dyson Sphere - did aliens already build one?
    Oct 4, 2024 – 05:24
  • ELI5 Skyscrapers - which NYC skyscraper could have fallen over?
    Sep 27, 2024 – 07:52
  • ELI5 Super Mario Bros - how did it fit into 32KB?
    Sep 20, 2024 – 07:09
  • ELI5 Lie Detector Tests - how do polygraph tests work?
    Sep 13, 2024 – 08:24
  • ELI5 Solar Eclipses - how often do they occur?
    Sep 7, 2024 – 07:10
  • ELI5 Donor Organs - do donor organs age according to the donor’s age or the new host’s age?
    Aug 30, 2024 – 06:38
  • ELI5 Prime Numbers - why isn’t 1 a prime number?
    Aug 23, 2024 – 07:10
  • ELI5 Burping - how loud was the world loudest burp?
    Aug 16, 2024 – 05:36
  • ELI5 Yawning - why is it contagious?
    Aug 9, 2024 – 05:15
  • ELI5 Olympics - why the amateur vs professional line blurred?
    Aug 2, 2024 – 07:14
  • ELI5 USB - is it still wrong to remove a thumb drive without first ‘ejecting’?’
    Jul 26, 2024 – 06:35
  • ELI5 Sore Throat - is alcohol or honey a better remedy?
    Jul 19, 2024 – 06:56
  • ELI5 Dyson Sphere - what exactly is it?
    Jul 12, 2024 – 05:24
  • ELI5 Collagen - what makes it special and important for your skin?
    Jul 12, 2024 – 07:36
  • ELI5 Mona Lisa - why is it the most famous painting in the world?
    Jul 5, 2024 – 06:25
  • ELI5 Blueberries - what makes them a superfood?
    Jun 28, 2024 – 07:35
  • ELI5 Three Body Problem - what makes it so intriguing?
    Jun 21, 2024 – 06:49
  • ELI5 Two Factor Authentication - how are authenticator apps more secure than SMS?
    Jun 14, 2024 – 08:00
  • ELI5 Starlink - what makes it possible and how does it work?
    Jun 8, 2024 – 08:15
  • ELI5 Bubble Tea - how did it become a global sensation?
    May 31, 2024 – 07:54
  • ELI5 Higgs Boson - how it was named the God Particle?
    May 24, 2024 – 07:31
  • ELI5 Life Insurance - why the astronauts of Apollo 11 couldn’t buy life insurance?
    May 17, 2024 – 06:28
Recent Reviews
  • Ekinsville
    Awesome
    One of the best podcasts ever! Love it and keep it going.
  • Irish Suds
    Good stuff
    Keep up the good work, learning so much from this podcast!
  • MKULTRA83
    Good stuff
    Good show, maybe do more complex topics?
  • REZNIL JANNERY
    Short informative to the point
    Plus, no adverts🥳
  • mack Ena
    Super
    Very well explained in 5 minutes
  • wval35
    Great podcast
    Would love to see a brief overview on crypto currency vs central bank currency
  • PuppyLoverCA
    Best. Podcast. Ever.
    I listen to these as I take my teen to school and they seem to seep into his brain, even though I don’t think he’s listening. 😆. I absolutely love these tidbits of information… so concise but lively, plain but intriguing, like little knowledge appetizers that whet one’s appetite for more knowledge. The episodes are so short that you can listen to 3 or 4 just before and have something cool to talk about. I’ve learned so much! Keep it up!
  • foxsongs
    Yep
    Great. Thanks
  • Annie32100
    Listen every week
    I love these topics!
  • b[|]
    Super Informative
    Never thought I’d be able to learn so much in so little time! Love the sprinkles of interesting facts!
  • S|L|
    Enjoying these tidbits
    They cover things I didn’t realize I needed to know!
  • ARealOpinion
    Great mini podcast!
    I really enjoy listening to these pods casts that are informative and pretty fun to listen to! I love it that these questions are actually things that you would never think about OR have always thought about but never dug in!
  • timThePdcstr
    So interesting
    These bite sized episodes are so cool. I never knew baking soda had so many magical properties. I never even thought to ask why we don’t put metal in a microwave… now I know! Subscribed!
  • Fjshebjsid1648848827
    Do not trust this information
    I was interested until, in episode 6, they declared that a BAC (blood alcohol content) level of 0.50 “literally means that 50 percent of your blood can be determined to be alcohol.” So, first of all, 0.50 percent is half of one percent, so 1/200th of the total blood. But more concerning is that the podcast hosts lack the common sense to recognize that half of your blood being alcohol would mean that you have 100 proof liquor running through your veins, which can’t happen from drinking even an extremely large quantity of alcohol. Listen if you like - they seem like nice enough guys. But I wouldn’t go quoting any of this “information” to other people because you may end up fairly embarrassed.
  • allthenicknamesweretaken72
    Love
    Just listened to my first episode... I consider myself moderately educated on many things but this was so cool! Although I knew most of what you said about vitamin D I did learn a few new things. My daughter is 12 and I’m going to have her subscribe too so we can discuss the topics together. She’s going to love it too for sure :)
  • logicalprogressions
    Good times
    Love these. Keep em up.
  • Eric in Albuquerque
    Like tasty tapas for your brain!
    Just what you want to know in just the time you have!
  • deshaz55
    Just perfect
    This podcast answers questions I’ve often wondered about in a brief and concise way. Tim and Kevin don’t spend useless time chatting and cutting up, which irritates me in many podcasts. From what’s an antibody do to why do we yawn, I’m always educated and entertained at the same time. One of my favorite podcasts.
  • MangoTheGoat
    Audio is horrible
    Topics are good. Information is good. Podcast idea is good. Hosts speak proper english, happy to find hosts who do not uptalk or use filler words. But this is a podcast, an audio only venue, and the audio quality is terrible. One host sounds like he is in a bathroom. Usually the other one is clear. But the volume levels of each can be very different plus the intro music can be on another volume level.
  • Father_of_Two
    Super entertaining!
    Where do they get this fun stuff from? There’s always something new and fascinating every week.
  • heynor
    Fun
    Interesting topics and good explanations!
  • bracefacekid2x_
    Good podcast
    Great love it!
  • WTF123465
    Informative and to the point
    As a fellow podcaster and podcasts enthusiast, I’m always looking for new content to absorb and reflect on. The eli5 podcast is a short-form info sponge of information that’s entertaining and fun. Thanks Tim and as a fellow Asian American creator, keep doing what you’re doing as well! Ryan (TRP)
  • Jeff loves caffeine
    Learn all about caffeine and alcohol!
    Really enjoyed the ELI5 podcasts as they are short and memorable. The hosts are great at teaching with an approachable and friendly conversation. Great way to learn something when commuting or in transit.
  • reginayi827
    Short talks, entertaining stuff
    Love that these guys bring some simple ideas to the table. They discuss things that make you wonder about how the stuff around us that are actively a part of our every day lives work and/or how they affect us. DOWNSIDE is the intro and outro music is LOUD and the actual talking on the mics are so quiet in comparison. It’s like walking in and out of a popular big city club on a Saturday night. I hope they do something with this since it’s simply sound quality issue and not a content quality issue. Like I said, the content is great. The sound, not so much.
  • Slicezero
    Great information in an easy to digest format!
    The format is great and the cast is engaging and funny!
  • Pmtrx
    Learn something every week
    The Super Glue episode was super cool
  • cantab007
    Fascinating podcasts. Love it!!!
    Great to see it live!
  • Axdvi
    Great topics
    Bite sized insights on topics I didn't realize would be so fascinating to learn about!
  • Shobhit82
    Love this podcast
    Love listening to these very useful, quick and engaging podcasts. Highly recommend!
  • WickedApps
    Love the format!
    Keep ‘em short and sweet like Ep 1. Will tune in every drive.
  • Sanfran84
    Informative and entertaining
    What a great idea for a podcast. I’m a fan. Please do more of these!
  • Papakenya
    Quick, high quality bites of information
    Learned a lot about a common topic and part of my daily life - coffee. Excited for the next set of podcasts
  • kxflower
    Actually learned something
    Short and simple. I like learning random facts about things but never actually take the initiative to go dig up the information, it’s more fun to listen to it instead.
  • BrewstersMillions
    Bite sized trivia
    Nice short episodes (less than 5mins) packed with info that I've wondered about, but never got around to looking up. Now I've got something to talk about when someone at the watercooler asks me how my day/weekend was.
  • T863
    Fun facts!
    I love learning something new and this podcast has really hit the spot so far. Can’t wait for future episodes...
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork on this page are property of the podcast owner, and not endorsed by UP.audio.