ELI5: Why can the Internet Computer do these things other blockchains cannot?

The technical reasons go beyond ELI5, but a high-level answer is very possible:

Unique to the Internet Computer

Chain key cryptography^[1] is the engine that drives the Internet Computer and makes its operation possible. It allows for:

Adding new nodes to form new subnets to scale the network infinitely;
Replacing faulty or crashed nodes with new ones without ever stopping;
Reviving subnets even if too many nodes within have failed; and
Upgrading the Internet Computer Protocol seamlessly, allowing the network to fix bugs and add new features.

Modern technologies leveraged by the Internet Computer

The use of WebAssembly as the execution layer^[2] of the Internet Computer gives canisters (dapps/smart contracts) an execution environment that allows for very powerful smart contracts.

References: Template:Reflist

[1] ttps://medium.com/dfinity/chain-key-technology-one-public-key-for-the-internet-computer-6a3644901e28

[2] ttps://www.reddit.com/r/dfinity/comments/nrmvim/ama_we_are_akhi_alexandra_islam_and_dimitris_from/

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