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One thing about knowledge is that it shouldn’t be gatekept. And on Reddit’s Today I Learned community, it isn’t.

Here, millions of people come together to share the most surprising, obscure, and fascinating facts they’ve just discovered. Some change how we see the world, while others are simply entertaining—but all of them prove there’s always more to learn.

So here’s your daily dose of curiosity. Keep the cycle going and pass your favorites along!

#1

Elderly man with a beard seated in a library, embodying cool facts from history. TIL about Andrew Carnegie, the original billionaire who spent 90% of his fortune creating over 3000 libraries worldwide because a free library was how he gained the education to become wealthy.

Headpuncher , Frances Benjamin Johnston Report

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ninjaTrashPandaBoom
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everyone, even billionaires, deserve a second chance. Carnegie at least tried to help others unlike some billionaires we are dealing with now. Another fine example is MacKenzie Scott. She has donated over $19 billion so far...

ninjaTrashPandaBoom
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Elon is a completely self-centered moron so his opinion does not matter.

Nikole
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh Snazzy, that chainsaw video of him made me want to take a chainsaw to him even more.

Zoey Bear
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Pshhh the only thing ebon can do is elect the next dictator.

Top Trump
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

lol I may be wrong, but perhaps they meant Carnegie's employees getting one day off a year and having to work 12-hour days. They probably never saw the inside of one of his libraries even though they contributed towards the cost of building them through hard labour in his steelworks. Nobody's perfect, right?

Beef Brisket
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If it hopefully makes you feel better, Elon Musk has donated billions to a vast array of charities, from Doctors without Borders to building schools to food programs to Artists for Peace and Justice. Whether you like him or not, he has done a lot of good for countless groups and people. :) That's good news!

Tamra
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Musk "donated" $5.7 billion to an unnamed charity, which was later revealed as his OWN nonprofit called The Musk Foundation which, as it turns out, isn't much more than a shell corporation. Last year he evaded paying over $2 billion in taxes from these activities.

Tyranamar Seuss
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That sounds more like it. Guy is greedy to the max. Hasn’t figured out money doesn’t fix his being a miserable person. Nor do babies. Actually being helpful and kind would fill that hole. But he’s too caught up in greed to see it.

Manuel Stey
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well, He does good things with his money. For himself 🤷🏻‍♂️

Marsha Hultberg
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

TRUE THAT! We will get thru this time, one way or another... 🙏🏼😎

WubiDubi
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

By this logic Elon should build 3000 mines given it's where the family wealth is from. He probably has quite a few lithium mines, by proxy.

Geoffrey Scott
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Most of them did as they understood they did not get there ALONE!!

Snazzy Smurf
Community Member
1 month ago

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Joe Reaves
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Founding libraries would be way too woke for Elon. He would have loved the way Carnegie ran his businesses, especially the bit about shooting strikers though.

Michael None
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm sure he's planning on doing something good with his money. He's just not done collecting it yet. Once he has all the money in the US then the philanthropy will start.

Adam
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Total! What a selfish a**! He could at least spend his billions fighting climate change or sending humans to Mars so we don't become extinct if anything happen to earth.

Top Trump
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

It's funny how people criticise some billionaires and laud others. Firstly, the 10% which Carnegie kept back from the libraries, amounts to approximately £100m - equivalent of £2bn in today's money. Whilst the formation of libraries was admirable, none of his workers would have time to visit them. Most endured 12-hour days and only got 4th July off as their annual holiday. Tesla offer £12k p.a. with 25 days annual leave, 14 weeks pregnancy and 7 weeks paternity (Google). The thing for me is, most of the exploiters aren't people like Musk. The worse ones keep their heads WAY below the parapet. Sweat shops. Brands which sell in the West but fabricate in the East are often culprits. Apple, Samsung, and Sony, have all been investigated for child labour according to the BBC. As a side note, Tesla were the first modern electric car, the first to use li-ion batteries and the first to supply the global market. Not a fanboy, but balance, right? But yeah, rich guy, pitchforks, etc. yawn.

Becky Samuel
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

£12k pa! How is that supposed to be a living wage? Let's not try to big up someone who gave literal Nazi salutes in front of the whole world. (Nobody not in the USA is buying this búllshít excuse about being 'socially awkward', so save it.)

Top Trump
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The £12k p.a. is for an apprentice auto technician who will be trained on the job. Like further education but you don't pay them for it, they pay you. That figure was the lowest I could find so I used it to prevent people like you claiming that I'm being disingenuous. The highest I could find for the same post was just under £20k p.a. You could have researched it yourself but that wouldn't have provided your fix of self-righteous outrage, so here we are. My point was: 'It's funny how people criticise some billionaires and laud others'. Everything after that was a simple comparison between 'great guy' Carnegie and 'world's most despised' Musk. It's not a play on words, it's clear and obvious that I am holding both billionaires up for comparison. Musk is perfect for the comparison BECAUSE he is so vilified. It makes the comparison even clearer. I expect you were busy sharpening your pitchfork and missed that.

Tamra
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Look, I don't care which billionaire we're talking about, the only way someone gets that wealthy is through some level of exploitation - whether it's people or tax evasion or both. I don't give a rat's as$ about Carnegie because he's dead. I care about the current billionaire who is alive and well, and meddling about in numerous government agencies without any sort of elected position, no Senate confirmation, and no formal oaths of office.

Blah Blah Blah
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's also notoriously busted up unions and fired countless people for no reason than to either get retribution of his bad business dealings so he's not investigated (Hmmm I wonder where he learned that one from) or to make up for the massive tax breaks the 1% has been given (again). Because why not hoard money so much so that it's going to cause a civil war and a great depression 2.0. Oh and there's pesky little fact that he's a f*****g nazi, an absentee father to FAR to many f*****g kids, and has some MAJOR mental issues.

Tamra
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He has also recently put tens of thousands of people out of work, then made a joke out of it by waving a damned chainsaw about the stage at CPAC. These were people with mortgages and families being summarily dismissed by a billionaire with NO government experience, NO Senate confirmation, and NO oversight.

Warren Peece
Community Member
1 month ago

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David
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

90% was all charitable money. He also build orphanages, soup kitchens, churches, and more. He left his wife and only daughter $40 million at the time and his mansions, so they could live in comfort for the rest of their lives. He did more than just libraries.

Beef Brisket
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

True, but unfortunately, Carnegie made that wealth on the backs of the people who worked in his mills, for low pay, long hours, and conditions that were horrific, even for the times. When his laborers wanted to unionize he suppressed them with violence. When criticized by many for his workers miserable conditions and wages, while keeping his profits high, he shot back that, given more money, the workers would just spend it on richer food and nicer clothes, making them--and society--worse off. My point is that no one is all good or all bad--not Elon, not Carnegie.

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Joe Reaves
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

'Shot back' lmao. Fantastic choice of words since he (or the man he left in charge while he was conveniently out of the country) called in the Pinkertons at Homestead leading to a shoot out. He was also one of the wealthy country club members whose lack of upkeep of the damn led to the Jonestown flood.

MisterE
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That is about $750M today. A bit more than just comfort. However, the staggering amount of money he accumulated and then gave away is wild. He did stupendous things for mankind but also had some black marks on his record.

Zoey Bear
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wish Ebon and his Trump minions would go and move to Mars and bring all their cult followers with them. PLEAESE!!!

Nikole
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wouldn’t that be lovely?? I’m so sick of this stupidity. We’re being dismantled and all federal protections removed.

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cris true
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nikole, my very terse dear friend! So is this 'silliness' you speak of like the foolish wish from Zoey Bear that tens of millions of people would move to Mars?

cris true
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow, Zoey Bear! Do you post your silly and foolish thoughts on every page you visit, while ignoring the given topic? God bless your little heart.

El hefe
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah he also did plenty of exploiting to amass that fortune

Max Fox
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Carnegie was responsible for many nasty things in his life, and only started giving away money, much of which he obtained in questionable ways, when he was older. When he was Musk's age, he was not a good or nice man.

J3447
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Carnegie should have paid his workers more. His philanthropy is cancelled by his slave wages.

fly on the wall
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At least they should pay the same percentage of tax on earnings as "regular folk".

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Dan Holden
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I keep seeing people say this and I don't disagree, but how would you propose we go about that. Say you start a company and it's wildly successful. You make more and more money, and now invest some of that money, and your money starts making more money. Suddenly your worth $999,999,999. What now? Your company is still making you money. Your investments are still making you money. Do we force you to give away any profits beyond that? If so, to whom?

Bec
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh please. You don't get to be a billionaire through ethical business practices. Monopolies, unfair trade and labor practices. We could enforce regulations, tax capital gains, increase the minimum wage, and lots of other things, but we won't because billionaires own the government now

Beef Brisket
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Bec, curious and an honest question--do you feel the same away about billionaire Taylor Swift?I've never heard anyone complain that she's become rich by gouging her fans with high ticket prices or paying her staff and arena staff less money. Should she slash her ticket prices, pay her employees and the venue staff more, pay higher taxes? Again, not criticizing, just curious.

veirdbuttrue
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Probably, yes. If you are making that much money you should be taxed on it

Dan Holden
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Agreed, but you haven't answered my question. If someone does make a billion dollars, then what?

veirdbuttrue
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Tax them! their wealth could then be distributed throughout the population and used for health and education

Beef Brisket
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Dan Holden, not to mention that your net worth isn't generally made up of cash sitting in a bank account, easy to liquidate and give away. It's tied up in things like factories, equipment, vehicles, inventory, warehouses, brand and "assessed" value, which can dive up and down on stock market whim. You want someone to give away some of that worth it could mean selling some factories and putting thousands of people out of work. No one benefits from that.

Zoey Bear
Community Member
1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

If only that idea and wonderfulness was followed forward. Meanwhile libraries and books are being canceled left and right. Books about trans and something not ok with republican natseas, done! Burn the books! What does that sound like?

JLN
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The small town in Ontario Canada I grew up in had one of his libraries, I never knew this until just a few years ago, but I always loved that building and it helped spawn my love of books and reading!

Connie Martin
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On the flip side, he was a union buster and absolutely brutal to his workers. Maybe he thought the libraries would get him into heaven. They are an undeniable good

Riley Quinn
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We have a few billionaires that could learn something from Carnegie, but they're too busy making the lives of average people miserable. Elon's firing people, and I know the others are stirring the pot in the Oval Office.

mtownmick
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And how did he act while he was making his money? That counts too.

Christine Didier
Community Member
2 weeks ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The main library branch in my home town was built By Andrew Carnegie. Two years ago they tore it down and built a huge waste of space, I mean modern library.

tameson
Community Member
4 weeks ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He spent $350 million on various philanthropic causes, of which $56 million was spent on public libraries.

Seadog
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And little did he know Americas education system would become the worst in the world.

EJN
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yep, those were the good old days when the uber-wealthy had the inspiration to do something good with their money so as not to feel like a total a$$hole when looking at the rest of humanity.

primeline31
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He's buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery, Sleepy Hollow, NY. His epitaph says: Here lies a man who knew how to enlist in his service better men than himself

Mary Kelly
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

aannnnd, he endowed them...and the orginals and the furniture in them are works of art themselves!!!!

Kevin Hickey
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He learned about bribery, extortion, insider training and labor exploitation at the library?? He was trying to buy his way out of hell.

Eunice Probert
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And he didn't just build them in the USA. There are some in the UK too.

Regina Holt
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

hmm, one billionaire built libraries, nowadays, they wants to burn books. Wow, what a difference.

Beef Brisket
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nobody wants to "burn" books. Some people, both on the left and the right, would like age limits on highly sexualized and graphic content. Just like putting a PG14 rating on a movie does not mean you want the movie burned or banned.

JK
Community Member
1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Back in the day, the wealthy showed off their wealth by investing in public buildings (schools, libraries, hospitals, parks, theatres, etc.) and attaching their name to it so they'd be remembered and thought highly of for as long as the building stood. Now the wealthy spend nothing on the public, only themselves, and then expect you to *buy* things that they've stamped their name on. Like they say, "money can't buy class"

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    Man with a mustache in a leather jacket, standing in a dimly lit setting with blue light bars; today I learned facts theme. TIL Danny Trejo has a clause in his movie contracts that requires his villainous characters to die by the end of the film. He wants children to learn that crime doesn't pay.

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    Kali Chaos
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Man is a legend. He randomly pulled a car off a kid while out shopping. And his taco cookbook is legit.

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    #3

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL April 8th 1945 a prisoner at Buchenwald rigged up a radio transmitter and sent a message in a desperate attempt to contact the allies for rescue. 3 minutes after his message the US Army answered "KZ Bu. Hold out. Rushing to your aid. Staff of Third Army". The camp would be liberated 3 days later.

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    G R
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    FYI the prisoner who made the radio survived, was liberated, and lived till his 70s. His radio calls were essential in letting the Allies know the location and other crucial information about the camp:

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    #4

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL ecologist Suzanne Simard wanted to know why the forest got sick every time the foresters k****d the birch trees, thought to harm fir trees. She discovered that birch trees actually pass nutrients to fir trees underground via a complex fungal network and were maintaining balance in the ecosystem.

    admiralturtleship , Dallas Reedy Report

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    Stan Brooks
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The fungal network is most probably the worlds first internet.

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    #5

    Bronze equestrian statue of a historical figure in armor, located in a city square, highlighting cool historical facts. TIL After Joan of Arc was executed on charges of heresy, her mother spent 25 years clearing her name. She convinced the pope to reopen Joan's case and attended the retrial despite being in her 70s and in poor health. The retrial ended with Joan's complete acquittal.

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    Larry Kearney
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Like that means so much after the church, you know, f***ing burned her to death

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    #6

    Man carrying stacked boxes up stairs, illustrating cool "Today I Learned" fact in action. TIL In Japan, the Johatsu, meaning "evaporated people", choose to abandon their current lives - due to family strain, work pressure or any other reason. So-called 'night moving' companies help them disappear without a trace and start a new life somewhere else.

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    #7

    A person gently holding a baby outdoors, wearing a white shirt. TIL in 2010 a doctor and his son just happened to be walking by an apartment building in Paris when a 15-month-old boy fell 80ft (24m) from a seventh floor balcony before bouncing off a cafe awning into the doctor's arms. His catch helped the boy escape "miraculously without a single scratch."

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    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL that 11-year old Ted Danson and his friends chopped down a bunch of billboards around Flagstaff, AZ, because they obstructed views of nature. He was caught when his father, a museum curator, learned that billboards for the Museum of Northern Arizona were spared.

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    Wildfire spreading across a mountain range at night, with intense flames and smoke illuminating the scene. TIL in 2017 a couple survived a wildfire in California by jumping into a neighbors pool and staying submerged for 6 hours. They came up for air only when they needed to, using wet t-shirts to shield their faces from falling embers.

    GoinThruTheBigD , Glenn Beltz Report

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    Nice Beast Ludo
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That must have been absolutely TERRIFYING!!! Better than being burned, obviously, but did the water get very hot from the fire? I would be so scared the water would start to get to boiling and then what do you do? They were lucky and brave

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    #10

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL George Washington decided to step down after two terms because he feared he might die in office and Americans would then view the presidency as a lifetime appointment.

    multi_io , Gilbert Stuart Report

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    Hidalgo
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A lifelong term was actually preferred by some of the Founders like Hamilton. It was argued about extensively and the arguments are documented in the Federalist Papers

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    #11

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL Chef Boyardee's canned Ravioli kept WWII soldiers fed and he became the largest supplier of rations during the war. When American soldiers started heading to Europe to fight, Hector Boiardi and brothers Paul and Mario decided to keep the factory open 24/7 in order to produce enough meals.

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    DE Ray
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    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    People who only know the cheap canned pasta really miss out on the fact Boiardi was a top chef - really one of the first "celebrity chefs" in the US.

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    #12

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL George Washington is the only U.S. president elected as an independent to date. Washington opposed the development of political parties.

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    Michelle C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He warned against them explicitly in his farewell address. No wonder!

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    #13

    50 Surprising Facts From “Today I Learned” That Show How Little We Actually Know (New Facts) TIL that Weird Al's Phantom Menace parody 'The Saga Begins' was recorded a month before the film released in May 1999. Yankovic was denied an early screening by Lucasfilm, but managed to almost exactly piece together the plot by researching rumours posted on Star Wars fan forums.

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    #14

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    Nice Beast Ludo
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder if you put those 4 things in a list if anyone could guess the similarity

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    #15

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Profits before workers safety? Thankfully that would never happen today..... The ultra rich care too greatly for their employees.

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    #16

    TIL a Jets player who won in Super Bowl 3 lost his super bowl ring shortly after while surfing. It was found in the ocean by a lifeguard who was snorkeling 40 years later and returned to him.

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    Kali Chaos
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Good on them, that's a very expensive find to return in good faith. I had the chance to hold one once, I went to uni in a big sports town. It was heavier than my watch.

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    #17

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    Alisha Natzel
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Apparently she lived 8 hrs from medical help, had no electricity or running water and assumed after a long labor her baby was going to die. She took several shots of liquor (probably for fear and pain). Then performed the C section. Baby survived, she passed out, her other child ran for help and woman was able to sew up the incision with sewing equipment before she was transported for medical care. Read an article in the Guardian.

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    #18

    TIL Q Lazzarus, singer of Goodbye Horses, was unknown when the song appeared in Silence of the Lambs. Labels had rejected her due to her dreads, so she drove a cab. Once, she picked up "Lambs" director Jonathan Demme, and played him her demo. He responded "Oh my God, what is this and who are you?"

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    #19

    Ancient ruins showcasing old stone structures under a cloudy sky, highlighting fascinating historical facts. TIL that ancient Rome had fast food restaurants called 'thermopolia,' where people bought hot meals on the go, much like modern takeout.

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    David
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    also most people didnt have ovens or stoves in their homes in urban areas, so many people would eat out, rather than use the public ovens and stoves.

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    #20

    "Becky doll in wheelchair from the special edition, promoting inclusivity with a friendship necklace." TIL that in 1997 Mattel released Share a Smile Becky, a disabled Barbie doll, only to discontinue it when the wheelchair couldn't fit through the front door of the Barbie Dreamhouse.

    cryptonemonamiter , Walmart Report

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Why discontinue the product? Keep it going to show the problems disabled people can face.

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    #21

    Person wearing headphones working on coding at a computer desk, in a minimalist office setup, exploring today I learned facts. TIL that a US developer who outsourced his job to China for a fifth of his salary was repeatedly named as star employee before getting caught.

    Forgotthebloodypassw , Nubelson Fernandes Report

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    Hippopotamuses
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    But don't multi-national tech companies... you know. Oh. Actually, forget I mentioned it.

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    #22

    TIL After his lung cancer diagnosis, actor Yul Brynner wished to warn people against smoking. After his death, the american cancer society aired an ad with the actor saying: "Now that I'm gone, I tell you: just don't smoke. If I could take back that smoking, we wouldn't be talking about any cancer."

    Ainsley-Sorsby Report

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    Lowrider 56
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I had a very scary experience with the flu and my lungs shut down. I almost died and I was a pack a day smoker. So far it's been 28 days since I had a cigarette. I hope I never smoke again.

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    #23

    TIL One of the early Spanish explorers of the American Southwest met a man who they called "the Turk", who told them stories of rich lands to the east. He would later reveal that he made it up to draw them away from Pueblo civilizations so they would die of starvation in the plains.

    Matthew_A Report

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    Forrest Hobbs
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's a song that covers this tale: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6RwX_ZFU9ZU "Coronado & The Turk" by Steve Tilston & Maggie Boyle

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    #24

    TIL that when scientists transferred the gut microbiome of a schizophrenic human into mice, the mice started exhibiting schizophrenic-like behaviours.

    katxwoods Report

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Gut biology is key to lots of health problems and scientists are only just starting to explore. It is a fascinating subject, we all need to learn about good bacteria and how to sustain it.

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    #25

    TIL the 2022 Ignobel prize in economics went to a bunch of Mathematicians who proved, mathematically, that luck matters more than talent to achieve success.

    PeopleHaterThe12th Report

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    Jaya
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If you don't know the Ignobel prize, go check it out! It's a prize for science that makes you laugh at first, but is actually very interesting or useful. They have so many hilarious sounding studies! It is a great source of joy for me each year, there are usually a couple of studies that have me laughing out loud.

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    #26

    Car driving on a snowy road through a forest, highlighting cool winter facts. TIL that a Swedish man survived in his car for 60 days, only drinking melted snow, after being snowed in with temperatures dropping as low as -30°C. However, due to the "igloo effect," the insulation from the snow helped keep him alive.

    dtdowntime , Egor Myznik Report

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    Panda Kicki
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I remember that case.It was wild. It was volontary and he didnt want to leave the car even when found. He longs to go back. The only thing he missed was cigarretes. https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/EozXrj/snomannen-i-bilen-fick-jag-vara-i-fred

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    #27

    TIL that Great White Sharks across the Pacific Ocean consistently congregate at one specific spot in the Pacific Ocean. Scientists call this the White Shark Cafe.

    zahrul3 Report

    #28

    TIL - Blind people who regain sight after years struggle to recognize objects because vision is learned, not automatic. They need to train their brain to actually see.

    Potatoe_expert Report

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    Pamela Carter
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I learned that in a Psych class 30+ years ago. An example was why a squirrel doesn’t see a big truck—they have no reference in their brain. Just think—a huge spaceship could be right above us and we wouldn’t see it.

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    #29

    TIL that the first laws outlawing food coloring were in regards to bread. White bread was expensive and some bakers added chalk to lighten dark bread. King Edward I (1272-1307) created a law saying anyone caught using whiteners in bread would be put in the public pillory for one hour.

    Festina_lente123 Report

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    Hippopotamuses
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Thank god we live in the 21st century, where food isn't adulterated, eh!

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    #30

    Cozy mid-century chair in a dimly lit room, showcasing a trendy interior design setting. TIL Linda Chase left her roommate's dead body in the recliner chair where he died for 18 months. She talked to him and watched NASCAR on TV with him. After police performed a welfare check and found the body, Linda's only explanation was that she didn't want to be alone.

    Ill_Definition8074 , Polina Kuzovkova Report

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    #31

    TIL the British Library must store one copy of every single book published in the UK and Ireland. It houses over 200,000,000 publications, adds 6 miles (9.65 km) of new shelf space a year, and receives over 8000 new publications daily.

    HerbziKal Report

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    StPaul9
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    That's called a reference library. Every single country has one. Every state in Australia has one. If a book is published, it gets a copy. Hurry now before the Orange Fascist shuts yours down.

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    #32

    TIL South Park aired an episode titled “Band in China”… which resulted in them being banned in China.

    ebot91 Report

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    #33

    TIL huge rogue waves were dismissed as a scientifically implausible sailors' myth by scientists until one 84ft wave hit an oil platform. The phenomenon has since been proven mathematically and simulated in a lab, also proving the existence of rogue holes in the ocean.

    zahrul3 Report

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    Zaach
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    First discovered here "The soliton phenomenon was first described in 1834 by John Scott Russell who observed a solitary wave in the Union Canal in Scotland" he followed the rogue wave for hours. Story here https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soliton

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    #34

    TIL the modern Oval Office was only created in 1934, and designed so that President Franklin D Roosevelt, who used a wheelchair, could move easily between the Office and the Residence.

    robinperching Report

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    #35

    Superman cartoon poster featuring the superhero in action with text highlighting his arrival. TIL in 1940, when Paramount asked Fleischer Studios to created a Superman cartoon, Fleischer thought it would be too hard to make. In an attempt to avoid making the cartoon, they quoted four times the cost of an average cartoon for the budget ($100k). To their shock, Paramount agreed to the budget.

    TirelessGuardian , Fleischer Studios Report

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Those Max Fleischer Superman cartoons still look amazing to this day. Money well spent!

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    #36

    Person in striped shirt using a touchscreen inside a car, showcasing today I learned tech. TIL in 2013 a woman went to pick up a friend in Brussels (less than 90 miles from her home), however because of a GPS error, she ended up in Croatia after driving 900 miles across five international borders. She realized she took a wrong turn two days after leaving. Her son had reported her missing.

    tyrion2024 , Andrej Lišakov Report

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    #37

    TIL there were just 5 surviving longbows from medieval England known to exist before 137 whole longbows (and 3,500 arrows) were recovered from the wreck of the Mary Rose in 1980 (a ship of Henry VIII's navy that capsized in 1545). The bows were in excellent finished condition & have been preserved.

    tyrion2024 Report

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    #38

    TIL F1 driver Kimi Raikkonen nearly bankrupted the Lotus team by being too good. His contract said that he would be awarded €50,000 for every championship point scored. Lotus thought their car would be so uncompetitive that year that it would not be a problem. Kimi went on to score 207 points.

    JimPalamo Report

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    Anonymous Fox
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The balls that man has are insane. I remember that there was once fog on the track, and while other drivers were slowing down, Kimi accelerated.

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    #39

    TIL that some people are genetically gifted in that they can sleep for as little as 4 hours without suffering from daytime sleepiness or other consequences of sleep deprivation.

    bigus-_-dickus Report

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    Zoe Donaghy
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Due to an undiagnosed lactose intolerance, reflux and silent reflux my son could only drink a few ounces at a time as a newborn. Anything more and he'd be in pain for hours screaming or projectile vomit. Because of this he was up every 2 hours for feeding until he was 4 months old and I introduced lactase enzyme. After that he started sleeping in longer stretches until he started teething at 5 months old. Every tooth came in one after the other and by 12 months he had all his teeth bar his 2yr molars. My sleep has never went back to normal and he's 2 now. I average between 4 and 6 hours a night.

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    #40

    TIL the reason that purple has traditionally been associated with royalty was because, in Ancient Rome, the only source of purple was milking and fermenting the liquid from a snail. It took 12,000 snails to produce 1 gram of dye! This made the Caesars declare it their exclusive color.

    Festina_lente123 Report

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    Forrest Hobbs
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I read that "milking" works, but gathering the snails and crushing them apparently yielded more dye. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tyrian_purple#Production_from_sea_snails

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    #41

    TIL that a KGB agent and a CIA agent became friends while trying to recruit each other; they knew the other was a spy and just didn’t talk about it.

    bdcp Report

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    LinkTheHylian
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    CIA: "Hey, wanna come watch the football with me?" KGB: "In Soviet Russia football kicks you!" CIA: "That wasn't funny the first 49 times..."

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    #42

    TIL in 2020 a woman took an online DNA test which showed a 22% match with a man who she'd eventually discover to be her still alive uncle, who was kidnapped in 1951 at the age of six & had been missing for 70 years. After he was abducted in Oakland, he was flown to the east coast & raised there.

    tyrion2024 Report

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    Michelle C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I wonder what the reunion must’ve been like – I’m sure it had to have been better than what was portrayed in the news media!

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    #43

    TIL Brian Acton was rejected by Facebook for a job in 2009. And that same year, he & Jan Koum "took a chance" and co-founded WhatsApp together. Then in 2014 after amassing 450 million global users, they sold WhatsApp to Facebook in a deal that reportedly made both of them a multi-billionaire.

    tyrion2024 Report

    #44

    TIL There was a Portuguese woman in early 18th century who disguised herself as a man and joined the army, fought in India and became captain of a fortress. She was found out when she asked the king for permission to marry a colleague.

    esperstrazza Report

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    Ron Man
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No name BP? Seriously? Her name was Maria Ursula d'Abreu e Lencastro and she joined the Navy as Balthazar do Conto Cardoso

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    #45

    TIL in 2010 Sam Ballard was drinking with several friends when he was dared to eat a slug that had begun to crawl across his friend's concrete patio. After he ate it, he'd find out the infected slug had given him rat lungworm disease, which put him into a year-long coma & ultimately took his life.

    tyrion2024 Report

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    MargyB
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I thought about the above fact yesterday when I read about the boy who just died from trying to inject a butterfly! What the actual f&$K!

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    #46

    Tasmanian devil in lush greenery showcasing fierce posture, highlighting cool facts about wildlife. TIL Tasmanian Devil's give birth to between 30 and 40 offsprings but the mother only has four teats. The first four to attach to teats survive, the others perish.

    Potatoe_expert , vladimircech Report

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    #47

    Ancient marble statue head displayed in a museum, showcasing classical Roman sculpture. TIL Marcus Licinius Crassus, often called "the richest man in Rome," formed the first fire brigade, saving burning buildings only if owners sold at a low price. Otherwise, he let them burn. The buildings would then be leased back to the former owners.

    RandomUwUFace , Unknown Report

    #48

    Person in blue jeans and a beige crop top with a tattoo, hand in pocket. Cool facts surrounding "Today I Learned." TIL a student wore the same pair of jeans 330 times over 15 months without washing them, then after washing them, wore them another 13 days. A textile scientist had tested the jeans for bacteria both after the 15 months (pre-wash) & after the 13 days. Little difference in bacterial count was found.

    tyrion2024 , Hrant Khachatryan Report

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    So... if you can go two weeks without washing your clothes then you are okay never to wash them?

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    #49

    TIL the "Elephant's Foot" mass of radioactive material beneath the Chernobyl disaster was so dense that they needed to use armor-piercing rounds fired from an AK-47 rifle to break off samples.

    syn_vamp Report

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    Paul Donahue
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    They also could only take pictures remotely with mirrors around corners because the radiation would destroy the film.

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    #50

    TIL Jefferson Davis attempted to patent a steam-operated propeller invented by his slave, Ben Montgomery. Davis was denied because he was not the "true inventor." As President of the Confederacy, Davis signed a law that permitted the owner to apply to patent the invention of a slave.

    us_against_the_world Report

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    Hidalgo
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    He also wanted to establish a slave empire all the way down to Tierra del Fuego

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    #51

    TIL that Samuel L. Jackson planned to become a marine biologist before becoming an actor. He is currently the highest-grossing actor of all time.

    Icy_Smoke_733 Report

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    Sleestak
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    “Why are these mother-f**ing fish on the mother-f***ing boat?!?”

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    #52

    TIL Only 47 people live on the Pitcairn Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Almost all of the residents are descendants of the mutineers of HMS Bounty, a British ship in 1790.

    julyninetyone Report

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    Panda Kicki
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Wasnt that the one currently in the news for investigations of generations of traditional rapes of the young girls?

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    #53

    TIL that donations of used clothes are NEVER needed during disaster relief according to FEMA.

    chenan Report

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    Ron Man
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There's a good reason for this. There are many items FEMA won't accept as used, clothing is one of them. People flood donations with s****y, old and unusable items and FEMA doesn't have time to deal with that when there's an emergency. So they just don't accept anything they can't hand out. People have tried donating garbage bags of old clothing and household goods that were damaged and dirty.

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    #54

    TIL that “court jesters” were often used to give bad news to the monarch that no one else would dare deliver. When the French fleet was destroyed at the Battle of Sluys, Phillip VI’s jester told him that the English sailors “don’t even have the guts to jump into the water like our brave French”.

    Tom_Bradys_Butt_Chin Report

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    Joe Bloe
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    If the king got into a rage, you can still say it's just a joke!

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    #55

    TIL the first known instance of a storm chaser or meteorologist k**led by a tornado occurred in 2013 when Tim Samaras, his son Paul, & Carl Young were killed near El Reno, OK by the widest tornado ever recorded. It expanded from 1 mile to 2.6 miles wide in about 30 seconds as it closed in on them.

    tyrion2024 Report

    #56

    TIL Thomas Edison's son, Thomas Edison Jr was an aspiring inventor, but lacking his father's talents, he became a snake oil salesman who advertised his scam products as "the latest Edison discovery". His dad took him to court, and Jr agreed to stop using the Edison name in exchange for a weekly fee.

    Ainsley-Sorsby Report

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    Nathaniel He/Him Cis-Het
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    "... How father's talents." Taking credit for other people's inventions.

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    #57

    TIL: The "Simple Sabotage Field Manual" was declassified in 2008 and it contains advice on how spies can sabotage the enemy by just being maliciously incompetent. Advice include praising inefficient coworkers, cry and sob frequently at work, asking inane questions in meetings, and spreading gossip.

    Flares117 Report

    #58

    TIL that due to an agreement between the National Archives and Caroline Kennedy, the jacket Jackie Kennedy wore on the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated cannot be displayed in public until 2103.

    Arstotzkanmoose Report

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Probably as a sign of respect to Kennedy family members who were alive at the time of the assassination, because the jacket is blood-spattered.

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    #59

    TIL of safety razor slots. In the 1930s-50s some home bathrooms had slots built into their walls where people would insert used razor blades. Future renovations have found walls packed with hundreds of blades.

    Festina_lente123 Report

    #60

    TIL: There was obesity in the Middle Ages, but the rich were expected to restrain themselves as fat people can't become knights. However, Sancho I was a morbidly obese king who weighed 240 kg and couldn't wield a sword, bed his wife, or walk. He was eventually expelled as he was too obese to rule.

    Flares117 Report

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    Peeka_Mimi
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I vote that the Orange Putrescence is too obese to rule. All in favor say, "aye."

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    #61

    TIL the T4 Program was a N*zi German euthanasia program that forcibly k**led the physically or mentally disabled, the emotionally distraught, elderly people and the incurably ill. The death toll may have reached 200,000 or more.

    wilsonofoz Report

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    Peter Bear
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    And it's already on the way to happening here. So pay attention.

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    #62

    TIL of hyperforeignism, which is when people mispronounce foreign words that are actually simpler than they assume. Examples include habanero, coup de grâce, and Beijing.

    jxdlv Report

    #63

    TIL after Leona Helmsley did not pay her contractors that worked on her Connecticut home, she was investigated for tax evasion, and she received a 16 year sentence. During trial her housekeeper testified that Helmsley said "only the little people pay taxes." She ended up serving 19 months in prison.

    ProudReaction2204 Report

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    David
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Apparently only little people serve anything close to their actual prison sentences. /S

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    #64

    TIL - During the California gold rush of 1849, eggs were $3 each, not adjusted for inflation.

    edfitz83 Report

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    Ron Man
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This was in the actual area of the gold rush, not nationwide. There was so much gold at the time that goods and services skyrocketed. And no, this wasn't even everywhere in that region. And no, this wasn't for raw eggs either. This was at hotels and restaurants that the newly rich would live in.

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    #65

    TIL all of the 500 fastest supercomputers in the world run on Linux.

    aerostotle Report

    #66

    TIL that in utero, a third artery temporarily runs down the arm to help with the development of the hand. By 8 weeks after birth, this artery usually disappears. For unknown reasons, people are retaining this artery as adults, and it's now three times as prevalent as it was 100 years ago.

    -Docta-G- Report

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    Lyone Fein
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Some evolutionary hiccup that favors the development of typing skills?

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    #67

    TIL that before 1979, you could use the hippie trail to go from Western Europe to India without flying.

    Signal-Initial-7841 Report

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    Hippopotamuses
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Oh, you'd be flying towards the end. Don't worry about that!

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    #68

    TIL that since the year 1960, London has only experienced six White Christmases.

    Familiar_Onion4898 Report

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    Zaach
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    There was a mini-ice age when the Themes froze over and circuses were set up on the ice

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    #69

    TIL that there are more ethnic Norwegians living in USA than in Norway.

    StoneSkorpio Report

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    Nice Beast Ludo
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I got "ethnic" confused with "ethical" and just stared at the wall in confusion for 30 seconds

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    #70

    TIL in 2011 twenty-two "fake" Apple Stores were discovered in China; at least one of which actually sold real Apple products while the employees there had no idea they didn't really work in retail for Apple.

    tyrion2024 Report

    #71

    Spider on a green leaf, showcasing one of the cool facts about nature. TIL when it gets cold enough, daddy long legs will huddle together in the thousands to create warmth.

    fudgiethequail , Antonio Friedemann Report

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    #72

    TIL Siblings can get completely different results (e.g., one 30% Irish and another 50% Irish) from DNA ancestry tests, even though they share the same parents, due to genetic recombination.

    Bronzescaffolding Report

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    Max Fox
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sigh. None of the BP writers know how to explain anything, and BP doesn't seem to have any editors on staff. First, unless they are identical twins, they will always get different results. Second, the way that ethnicity/geographic origins are calculated means that they can change between two tests of the same person. But year, each inherits 50% of the DNA of each parent, but it's not the same 50%.

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    #73

    TIL that Prince used a photo of Dave Chappelle dressed as him and serving pancakes for one of his singles' cover.

    friendlystranger4u Report

    #74

    TIL that from 2003 to 2005, Dell sold over 11 million computers with leaky capacitors, with documents indicating that Dell was aware they were almost certain to fail. At one point, 1,000 computers that Dell delivered to the law firm that was defending it in a related lawsuit started failing.

    nuttybudd Report

    #75

    TIL that Alaska has a much higher rate of missing persons per 100,000 residents than any other state, standing at a stark 42.16 compared to the next highest, Arizona, with 12.28.

    ralphbernardo Report

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    Stan Brooks
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    A large percentage of them are missing or murdered indigenous women.

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    #76

    TIL that after George Harrison's death from lung cancer, his widow sued a doctor at the hospital where he received radiation therapy for allegedly forcing Harrison to listen to his son play guitar and autograph the guitar while lacking his mental faculties.

    LorenzoApophis Report

    #77

    TIL an American photographer lost and fatally stranded in Alaskan wilderness was ignored by a state trooper plane because he raised his fist which is the sign of all okay.

    500Rtg Report

    #78

    TIL when David Lynch was asked by fans for clues or answers regarding one of his films, he'd typically refuse; however when fans in France asked him for clues to help them decipher Mulholland Drive (2001), he gave them 10. "I thought the clues were only going to exist in France & then..the internet."

    tyrion2024 Report

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    Joe Bloe
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Internet already existed, french speak english and it's not very isolated

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    #79

    TIL that during WWII the average recruit was 5’8” tall and weighed 144 pounds. During basic training, they gained 5-20 pounds and added an inch to their 33 1/4” chest.

    Festina_lente123 Report

    #80

    TIL: Maria Rasputin, Rasputin's daughter, after his death worked as a cabaret dancer, then for the Busch Circus. In one season, she became a lion tamer. She was eventually mauled by a bear and left the circus to work as a riveter in the US before dying in LA.

    Flares117 Report

    #81

    TIL that when Winona Ryder was offered the role of Joyce Byers, she agreed on the condition that she would be allowed time off to film a sequel to Beetlejuice if it began filming while Stranger Things was still in production.

    TedTheodoreMcfly Report

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    #82

    TIL there is currently a worldwide shortage of black pepper and the price-per-ton has almost tripled since January 2023.

    oceanicplatform Report

    #83

    TIL Christa McAuliffe, who was the teacher who died on the Space Shuttle Challenger, was 1 of 11,000 applicants in NASA's search to find an "ordinary person" to put their first civilian in space. She later remarked, "If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat. Just get on."

    ProudReaction2204 Report

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I also learned just a few months ago, that it is likely that everyone on board the Challenger did not die when the ship came apart, but were alive until it crashed back on Earth. Makes it all the more horrific a tragedy.

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    #84

    TIL - the family that couldn't sleep, a family in Venice, Italy where for over 200 years many of the family members died suffering from fatal insomnia.

    Potatoe_expert Report

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    She who must not be named
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Fatal familial insomnia (FFI) is a rare, genetic, and life-threatening prion disease that causes progressive insomnia, cognitive decline, and other symptoms that worsen over time. The disease is caused by an abnormal variation in the PRNP gene, which regulates the production of human prion protein. Most cases are familial, while the rest occur sporadically. FFI causes insomnia that worsens to the point of severely impacting daily life, eventually leading to coma and death.

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    #85

    TIL that Gene Roddenberry originally did not want to cast Patrick Stewart as Picard, since he had envisioned an actor who was "masculine, virile, and had a lot of hair".

    friendlystranger4u Report

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    Michelle C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It’s a good thing he did cast Sir Patrick Stewart because I can’t envision anyone else as Jean-Luc Picard!

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    #86

    TIL in 1902, one day after being jailed for a fight, a man named Ludger Sylbaris survived for four days while the pyroclastic flow from Mt. Pelée k**led 30,000. His jail cell was a former ammunition storehouse with thick walls and no windows apart from one ventilation shaft.

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    Hell'n Damnation
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Pyroclastic is a fun word to say. It doens't come up in conversation often enough.

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    #87

    TIL that digambara monks don’t wear clothes, don’t bathe or clean their teeth, sleep on the ground, only eat food free of pain, cutting or destruction, pluck all the hair off their head and face by hand, and only walk on well-worn, well-lit paths to avoid stepping on insects.

    GetYerHandOffMyPen15 Report

    #88

    TIL according to the US women's clothing catalog sizes system, a 2011 size 0 is equivalent to a 2001 size 2, and is larger than a 1970 size 6 or 1958 size 8.

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    Kim Kermes
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I feel much better about having to buy XL or larger in cheapest brand. In 1975 I needed a size 2 but couldn't afford the few brands which made them

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    #89

    TIL Robert F. Kennedy's a*sassin is still alive and has been denied parole 17 times.

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    Michelle C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    RFK, Jr., has been clear that he has forgiven his father’s assassin. I do disagree with him that Sirhan Sirhan should receive parole, however.

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    #90

    TIL the United States Army is the largest single employer of musicians in the country.

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    Kim Kermes
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Because most musicians are self employed, and the next largest employers of musicians are symphony orchestras, maybe 100 at most. Many orchestras only contract with musicians who aren't used in most pieces.

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    #91

    TIL that in 1997, a crew member on the USS Yorktown (CG-48) entered 0 into a database field. It caused the Remote Data Base Manager to attempt to divide by zero, causing all machinery on the network to stop working, including the propulsion system.

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    #92

    TIL of a disgruntled designer for SimCopter (1996) that created an Easter Egg that would spawn "shirtless men in Speedo trunks who hugged and kissed each other" in great numbers on certain dates, such as Friday the 13th. But the RNG he created for it malfunctioned, leading them to appear frequently.

    OldSchoolRPGs Report

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    David Houde
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Easter eggs in software is great! I put a few in during my career. I actually got a call a few years back from a job I had left about two years before. "Did you put this into the code?" 🤣 Yup, that was me!

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    #93

    TIL the richest person in the world was Mansa Musa, the 14th Century West African ruler, perhaps equal to $400bn in today's money. When he traveled to Cairo, he gave out so much gold that it depreciated the value of gold and caused over a billion dollars in economic losses in the Middle East.

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    Sara Frazer
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Sooo the previous fact about the centibillionaires is incorrect?? 🤔

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    #94

    TIL Dr. Pepper promised a free can to everyone in the US (except Slash and Buckethead) if Guns N' Roses released "Chinese Democracy" in 2008, but faced a lawsuit when they couldn't deliver after the album's release.

    chris-burke Report

    #95

    TIL the UK's nuclear submarines all carry identitcally worded "Letters of Last Resort" which are handwritten by the current Prime Minister and destroyed when the Prime Minister leaves office.

    InoyouS2 Report

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    Beak Hookage
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hope at least one of them has included the lyrics to "We'll Meet Again"

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    #96

    TIL There isn’t a single stop sign in Paris.

    No-Community- Report

    #97

    TIL that in Major League Baseball the ball is pitched so fast that the eye cannot track it. However, the brain is able to calculate its trajectory via specialized cells, making it possible for the batter to hit it.

    capribex Report

    #98

    TIL every person who has become a centibillionaire (a net worth of usually $100 billion, €100 billion, or £100 billion), first became one in 2017 or later except for Bill Gates who first reached the threshold in 1999.

    tyrion2024 Report

    #99

    TIL: The Lord of the Rings is presented as a translation of a book originally written in Westron, the common speech of Middle-earth. Therefore, Frodo Baggins' real name in Westron is Maura Labingi.

    rmumford Report

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    Michelle C
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    The Professor was a linguist and made up Many other languages, almost all of them based on Scandinavian languages and Welsh, if I remember correctly.

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    #100

    TIL: A scientist involved in the US nuke project determined the age of the world, created the clean room, and campaigned against leaded gasoline because it was poisoning everyone.

    cubert73 Report

    #101

    TIL accoding to the FAA, air traffic controller applicants must be under the age of 31 and generally must retire at age 56.

    hookums Report

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    SmooshieFries
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I just pulled into LAX- I can try to do a live age poll if y’all like

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    #102

    TIL about 'Balconing' in Ibiza, a phenomenon in which intoxicated party goers die or are injured by acting wildly on the balconies of the hotel establishments where they have stayed.

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    Huddo's sister
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    We may not have a word for this but it happens, I'm willing to bet, all over the world. The Gold Coast in Queensland, Australia is also notorious for it, especially over 'schoolies' week. Anywhere there are intoxicated people with baconies.

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    #103

    TIL that in 1519, Spanish conquistador Hernán Cortés sank his own ships except one after landing in Mexico to prevent his men from retreating, This bold move forced them to march inland and ultimately led to the fall of the Aztec Empire.

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    Panda Panda Bo Banda
    Community Member
    Premium
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Weird because there was never any chance of defeat. The Aztecs fell in days.

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    #104

    TIL Saudi Arabia does not have a single flowing river on its land.

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Not until they build one. Which I'm sure they'll try, eventually.

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    #105

    TIL about Stewart Smith who, over the course of 40 years, breed non-native fish in his garage and covertly released them from his car which was outfitted with oxygenated fish tanks into New Zealand’s north island waterways for sport fishing.

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Messing with the natural habitat and ecosystem of any area is fraught with peril.

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    #106

    TIL that under New York City, on the lower concourse of Grand Central Station, there’s a windowless, 440-seat oyster and seafood bar that has been serving customers since the terminal’s opening in 1913. Except for brief closures for a fire in 1997 and COVID-19 it has operated continuously.

    TriviaDuchess Report

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    kaycee14
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Grand Central Terminal, not station. A station in a stop between 2 endpoints. Grand Central is a terminus. Trains stop there and then turn around and head back the way they came.

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    #107

    TIL 10 US states have absolutely no vehicle inspection whatsoever (i.e no safety, emissions, or VIN inspections).

    Double-decker_trams Report

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    Zaach
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    During the 'drive 55' era, it was demanded that a ticket be issued for anyone caught speeding; Montana proceeded to issue $5.00 pollution tickets. Prior Montana's posted speed limit for cars was 'cautious and prudent'. We had a 56 Chevy up to 130 MPH when the windshield wipers were ripped off by the wind (and, of course, there was a huge thunderstorm following so we had to drive about 20 MPH with head out the window to see)

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    #108

    TIL the total number of Americans over 7-feet tall is estimated between 85 and 150.

    ChiefStrongbones Report

    #109

    TIL a study involving 75K adults compared the participants' preferred sleep timing (known as chronotype) with their actual sleep behavior & found regardless of one's preferred bedtime, everyone benefitted from turning in early. Being up late is not good for your mental health (suggested 1am bedtime).

    tyrion2024 Report

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    Data1001
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This seems like a study which would be difficult to do properly for an extended period. People who are 'night owls' also usually live in a society where normal hours of operation favor 'early birds' -- so I would guess that, on average, night owls would get less sleep overall because of the need to wake up earlier than they would prefer to -- and thus, going to sleep earlier would of course be better for them because it would mean more hours of sleep. To do a study like this properly, you'd need to have people in a segregated society where they could work, shop, and socialize at any hour of the day just as effectively as any other hour of the day (or night), and keep that up for at least a couple months. This would not be logistically very likely for a large enough sample size.

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    #110

    TIL The Marvels (2023) has the biggest estimated nominal loss for a movie at $237 million.

    tyrion2024 Report

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    Skywitness
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    When Pixar was purchased by Disney, the Pixar staff emphasized how important a good plot was. Evidently Disney has refused to learn that.

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    #111

    TIL that in 1975, Twentieth Century Music Corp sued a restaurant owner for copyright infringement for playing a radio broadcast of two of their songs in his establishment, arguing it constituted an unremunerated performance. It reached the Supreme Court, which sided with the restaurant owner.

    Kate_Kitter Report

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    #112

    Today I learned that Joey, the spin-off of the Friends sitcom, was canceled halfway through its second season, and the final eight episodes were never aired in the U.S. by NBC.

    TriviaDuchess Report

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    David
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    TIL the show Joey even existed. But I wasn't really a fan of Friends.

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    #113

    TIL Mr Bean’s (Rowan Atkinson) son is a Gurkha.

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    Forrest Hobbs
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Rowan Atkinson's son was a British officer in the Brigade of Gurkhas - not himself a Gurkha. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brigade_of_Gurkhas and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gurkha

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    #114

    TIL the British military once had an idea to put live chickens inside nuclear bomb cases with a week's worth of food and water. The bombs were meant to be planted into the ground as mines, so they had to be kept warm in the winter to keep working.

    jxdlv Report

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    Forrest Hobbs
    Community Member
    1 month ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    This was the proposed Blue Peacock nuclear landmine intended to be deployed in Germany - never developed. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Peacock#Chicken-powered_nuclear_bomb. Why "Blue Peacock"? Some explanation here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Code. The job of the chickens was to keep the installation warm enough so that the timers and all the other gadgetry would keep working. And then get vapourised by the nuclear explosion going off from the devices buried in West Germany to defend against a potential Soviet invasion. Sane minds prevailed...

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    #115

    TIL that an airgapped laptop was intentionally loaded with 6 famously catastrophic computer viruses, worms, and pieces of Malware for the commissioned art piece titled "The Persistence of Chaos". Much of the $10,000+ spent to produce the work went toward the creation of an effective firewall.

    rasouddress Report

    #116

    TIL United States is the only country in the world which applies the same tax regime to all its citizens, regardless of where they live.

    Cresomycin Report

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    panther
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    Except for the richest people, they get a special tax rate.

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    #117

    TIL Mavs GM Nico Harrison, while working at Nike in 2013 botched the presentation to Steph Curry, where he called him Seth, & the presentation he used was made for Kevin Durant. This, along with not offering Curry a signature shoe, caused Curry to switch from Nike & sign with Under Armor.

    KarlOveKnau Report

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    Ace
    Community Member
    1 month ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I understand most of the words here, but haven;'t a clue what it's about.

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    #118

    TIL Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets (2017) is the most expensive independent film ever made with a production budget of around $180 million. Although it grossed $226 million worldwide, it was considered a box-office bomb due to its high production and advertising costs.

    tyrion2024 Report

    #119

    TIL that Mr.Dink’s name is an acronym for Double Income No Kids; this is why he was able to afford gadgets that were “very expensive”.

    AWintergarten Report

    #120

    TIL that Gabe Newell owns a marine research company, and now mostly lives at sea on his boats and submarines.

    PS_Sullys Report

    Ic_polls

    Poll Question

    Do you believe that learning new facts can change your perspective on the world?

    Yes, definitely

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