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Today is an excellent day to discover something new. After all, few things are as enjoyable as learning and expanding your intelligence. And thanks to the internet — the endless stream of information that is literally at our fingertips — it has never been easier. You can constantly keep your brain busy with new things to think about and pump up that trivia muscle by adding new interesting facts to your arsenal of knowledge.

Whether it’s to improve your water-cooler talk skills or challenge your perspectives about the world, the 'Today I Learned' (TIL) subreddit is the perfect place to start. For years, the adventurous 28.4 million members of this community have been sparking our curiosity by sharing nuggets of wisdom they recently found themselves. So let’s take a look at what they have to teach, shall we?

Below, we wrapped up the newest batch of intriguing tidbits to get something useful out of our feeds. So grab your notebooks, put your thinking caps on, and enjoy scrolling through this list. Keep reading to also find our in-depth interview about the benefits of learning with international educational consultant Marilee Sprenger. Then upvote the facts you may not have known about, and be sure to pass on even more knowledge to us in the comments.

Psst! If you feel the urge to broaden your mental horizons even further, check out some more TIL goodness in our earlier pieces here, here, and right here.

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#1

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Andromachi Papanicolaou, the wife of the man who invented the Pap smear volunteered to have her cervix sampled every day for 21 years to help with his research. Their findings went on to save the lives of millions of women by preventing the development of cervical cancer through early detection

nekkototoro , Marco Verch Professional Photographer Report

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Down With Agent Hedgehog!
Down With Agent Hedgehog!
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This should be higher up

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Ciara Jane Eynon
Ciara Jane Eynon
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She is the true hero in this story, a smear every few years is horrendous! I dunno tho, who am I to kink shame...

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Aradia Sayner
Aradia Sayner
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gives a new meaning to taking one for the team. I hate pap smears and only have to have one every five years. Everyday for 21 years this woman is incredible.

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Lesley Relph
Lesley Relph
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ouch, I hate having my regular five yearly test. Daily would not be fun

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Seabeast
Seabeast
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Ouch. She was a brave woman. I've always found that exam so painful.

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Mary Leverett
Mary Leverett
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

AND, an interesting method, taking Pap tests to another level, able to be utilized in developing areas, is using vinegar solution on the cervix - cancerous/precancerous areas develop a differing color from healthy tissue, thereby indicating WHERE testing/treatment should be concentrated. This was developed in India, for use in poorer areas.

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Laura M D
Laura M D
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

May Apollo bless her. Thank that woman many of us are still alive and rocking

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Kim Smith
Kim Smith
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Isn't it odd they don't give her name,when she was as important in the developing a way to early detection of cervical cancer?

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Kim Contreras
Kim Contreras
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I DID NOT NEED TO KNOW THIS!!! Now it will never leave my mind. How gross, demeaning, and disgusting! Don't jump all over me! That's how I am responding.

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Tammy Brady
Tammy Brady
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I hope to meet you in the next life to thank you for what you've done for us.

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#2

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Eleanor Roosevelt held her own press conferences where only female journalists were allowed. This ensured they kept their jobs during Depression-era layoffs, earning a steady income & professional status

Pfeffer_Prinz , Unknown author Report

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Den Ver
Den Ver
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Eleanor Roosevelt was banned from giving a speech at Montana State College because Bozeman Montana was so conservative that it deemed her to be too much of a of a radical to be allowed to speak there. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Source: https://www.montana.edu/marketing/about-msu/history/1950.html (bot. 2nd paragraph)

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We're well aware of the power of learning and how important it is for us to celebrate curiosity, intelligence, and the desire to know more about our planet. Just a few decades ago, people had to read stacks of books and spend evenings at the local libraries just to learn something new. But in today’s modern world, we don’t need to lift a finger for it — except to type out a few Google searches and make some quick clicks on hyperlinks. In mere minutes, we find the fact or research we’ve been looking for.

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We were curious to learn more about the benefits of soaking up the knowledge around us, so we reached out to Marilee Sprenger, an international educational consultant in the fields of social-emotional learning, literacy, vocabulary, and brain research. Being the renowned author of Social-Emotional Learning and the Brain: Strategies to Help Your Students Thrive, she explained that one of the most fascinating aspects of our brain is that it can change, and it does so every day.

"Neuroscientists want us to understand that the brain is plastic," Sprenger told Bored Panda. "Every time you learn something new, your brain grows new connections. As we practice this new learning, the connections between brain cells get stronger and more resilient. If it is useful information, it stays with us, possibly forever."
#3

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that Billie Joe Armstrong once dropkicked a guy in the middle of a Green Day concert after he saw him roughing up a young girl. He stopped the show and challenged him to a fight before jumping into the crowd

derstherower , Ed Vill Report

Final score:
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Falcon dimi
Falcon dimi
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Cool. There are others who let there fans die and go on with the show

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#4

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL landlords in Glasgow, Scotland tried to increase rent by 25% on women whose husbands were fighting in World War 1. The women organised a rent strike and stopped bailiffs entering their buildings by throwing flour bombs at them and pulling down their trousers

joe-dirt , michael_swan Report

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From learning new languages to increasing our vocabulary by memorizing new words every day, all kinds of learning grow the brain, the expert explained. But if we don’t put them to good use, our skills won’t really grow or keep these new brain cell connections.

"Trying a new recipe, if you like to cook, will also benefit your brain. If you don’t like the recipe, you will have learned not to make it again! Does that sound silly? Remember, Thomas Edison found 10,000 ways not to invent the lightbulb before he figured out how to do it! His brain had to change with each failure, and he learned from those," Sprenger added.
#5

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that New Zealand author Janet Frame was falsely diagnosed as schizophrenic and was scheduled to be lobotomised. Several days before the operation, she won New Zealand's most prestigious literary prize, convincing doctors to cancel the procedure

BringsHomeBones , Unknown photographer Report

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Gardener of Weeden
Gardener of Weeden
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not Unusual for a woman to be given a lobotomy for stating her opinion, or arguing with her husband, or for having bad menstrual cramps... or so many other horrible reasons. Those were very dark times for women. And we had better be careful, Some want to return to those days.

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#6

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Charles Darwin's personal pet tortoise (Harriet) didn't die until recently at an estimated age of 175 years

AffectionateWillow57 , Scot Nelson Report

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JuniorCJ82
JuniorCJ82
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

She lived at Australia Zoo and died about 3 months before Steve Irwin.

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#7

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL about Janet Stephens, a hair stylist turned hairstyle archeologist. She visited a museum in 2001 and realized historians were wrong about hairstyles on Greek and Roman statues being wigs. She recreated the styles and published her findings in The Journal of Roman Archaeology

ladyem8 , Marie-Lan Nguyen Report

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Jill Rhodry
Jill Rhodry
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Male historian's uses of some artifacts have been proven incorrect - simply by asking women what they could be used for.

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According to the professional learning consultant, keeping your brain active is vital. There’s an abundance of evidence proving that learning something new is an incredible way to stretch our critical thinking, keep our minds sharp, and become better at problem-solving. What’s more, one study had found that it could also prevent memory loss and dementia — more years of education may be associated with this decline.

But as Sprenger noted, because the brain has plasticity and can re-wire itself, we can also lose the information we learned. "Keeping your brain and your body active can make a big difference in your ability to concentrate, focus, and remember. The more you know, the easier it is to take new learning and new experiences and connect them to information already stored in your brain."

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#8

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL The Python programming language was named after Monty Python, not a snake

HouseofKannan , bbc Report

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Timmy Pillinger
Timmy Pillinger
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The examples in the documentation of a bit of a hint: ['this', 'is', 'a', 'dead', 'parrot']

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#9

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL John Steinbeck spent two months rewriting 'Of Mice and Men' after his dog ate the only copy of the original manuscript

Lupercali , wikipedia Report

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Chris Kane
Chris Kane
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So this is where the old "my dog ate my homework" line originated.

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#10

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Salivating before vomiting is a way for your body to protect your teeth from the incoming stomach acid

NeroJ_ , Lesly Juarez Report

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Julie Robertson
Julie Robertson
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

We always called it the "mouth sweats" which was a sign you'd better find a place to spew - FAST.

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Every single one of us has at least a few topics we can talk about for hours — our job, school, or a favorite hobby — subjects we always want to dive deeper in. While it’s beneficial to explore the things that matter most to us, it is just as important to gain a broader understanding of the world.

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Sprenger agreed with this line of thinking. "Whether you learn something new or pursue the study of an individual topic (like I do with the brain), you are keeping your brain active. If you focus on only one thing and not pursue other avenues, you could lose connections in other parts of your brain. So, diversification is good," she detailed. "Frankly, I am a nerd. I would rather read a new book on the brain than go out with friends. But I force myself to go. I know those social connections will help me on many levels. Socializing activates the brain," the expert explained that relationships are one of the most powerful tools to grow our brains.
#11

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL upon request, Martin Luther King Jr. gave his copy of the "I have a dream" speech he had just delivered to the then security guard George Raveling. Raveling has been offered as much as $3 million for the original copy but he has refused all offers

ChronosBlitz , National Park Service Report

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Andrew Wildman
Andrew Wildman
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Good on Mr. Raveling... I hope that either his family feels the same way or it is willed to a museum.

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#12

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL the BBC initially refused to publish Richard Dimbleby's eye witness account of Belsen concentration camp in April 1945, they didn't believe it was as terrible as he described. It's estimated 70,000 people died at Belsen. The BBC only agreed to broadcast after Dimbleby threatened to resign

Pukit , Chripps Report

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Emerald Ocean
Emerald Ocean
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Wow…. That’s so many dead. I hate humans sometimes

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#13

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that the 'inner-voice' of most life-long & completely deaf people is seeing/feeling themselves acting out sign language

Rattiom32 , cdc Report

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If you encounter troubles with keeping up with your learning process, having a goal can be wise since it will help you focus on what’s important to you. Sprenger pointed out that our brains have these structures that filter incoming information. "If you tried to process everything that comes at you in a day, you would be overwhelmed and probably unable to do anything. So in that regard, your brain is looking out for you. What does the brain focus on? Anything novel. Its main function is your survival, so it must check out anything out of the ordinary."

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#14

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that in 2017 an 8 year old learned how to drive on YouTube and successfully drove to McDonalds while following traffic laws

MegaZeroX7 , Annie Spratt Report

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#15

TIL Julius Chambers of the New-York Tribune had himself committed to an asylum in 1872, and his account led to the release of 12 patients who were not mentally ill, a reorganization of the staff, and a change in the lunacy laws

jacknunn Report

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Sasha
Sasha
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A tiny bit vague. He had himself committed specifically for the scoop, essentially undercover. He talked about how once your declared insane, you basically cant convince anyone youre sane again. Which is a great system if you want to constantly abuse your patients, which was happening.

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#16

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Ostrich farms routinely have difficulties getting male ostriches to breed, because they often find their human caretakers more attractive than female ostriches

ProfitInitial3041 , MARIOLA GROBELSKA Report

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censorshipsucks
censorshipsucks
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2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder if there's a video where the ostrich comes to fix the plumbing, but instead meets the home owner and...

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Along with writing and presenting brain research information all over the country, Sprenger also loves teaching memory classes in the community. As she told us, many people, both young and older, often express worries about becoming forgetful. Well, their concerns seem justified, as a 2019 national poll from the University of Michigan revealed that over half (59%) of adults aged 50-64 felt their memory was slightly getting worse with age, and 7% reported it was much worse. Moreover, nearly half (48%) of respondents felt they were likely to develop dementia as they age and nearly as many worried about this prospect.

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But fear not! Sprenger was kind enough to share a few things that will really help us remember. "We have five different memory systems in our brains," she said. "Two very important ones start with the letter E (that’s a little memory cue to help you remember them!) The first is emotional memory. When something happens that stirs an emotion, our brains tend to remember it."
#17

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL There was so much [poop] in the streets of 14th century Paris that multiple roads had names which originated from the french word for [poop], "merde": rue Merdeux, rue Merdelet, rue Merdusson, rue des Merdons, and rue Merdiere. There was also a rue de Pipi, or "Urine Street"

JosephScarington , Robin Ooode Report

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Den Ver
Den Ver
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2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This reminds me of the first couple pages of the novel, 'Perfume', where the everyday rancid smells of Paris are described in detail. It's a good antidote for students who think reading is boring (although the book may not be age appropriate).

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#18

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL in 2013 a surgeon in the UK was struck off and convicted of assault after branding his initials into two patients livers. It was only discovered when 1.6-inch (4cm) initials were discovered by another doctor on an organ that he had transplanted failed

Status-Victory , Piron Guillaume Report

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#19

TIL in 1977 Indian painter, PK Mahanandia, sold his belongings and cycled 4,000 miles from India to Sweden to visit his love, Charlotte von Schedvin because he couldn't afford a plane ticket. They got married in 1979

ThomasHL Report

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The other system beginning with the letter E is episodic memory. "This system remembers where you are, which is a great trigger for memory. For instance, do you remember where you were when those planes flew into the twin towers on 9/11? Or where you were when you had your first kiss? Your first alcoholic beverage? Every time we learn something we are somewhere!"

"The night my high school boyfriend broke up with me, we were at a teen dance club. Just mentioning the place or driving by it brings back memories of that hurtful night. That went into many of my memory systems as it was both episodic and emotional," she continued. "So, the trick is to connect with your emotions and your locations to help you remember. You will automatically remember some events because your brain will store them without you trying. But take this information and use it to your advantage!"

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#20

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL The Parthenon in Athens was largely intact for over 2000 years. The heavily damaged ruins we see today are not due to natural forces or the passage of time but rather a massive explosion in 1687

HucklecatDontCare , PhanaticFollow Report

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#21

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL about a woman named Iva Toguri (Tokyo Rose) an American woman who used her position to undermine Japanese propaganda during WW2. She was named a traitor to the USA , and arrested for treason,it took her 30 years to prove her innocence

Honest_Resort_2498 , pingnews.com Report

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🌵 Drazil
🌵 Drazil
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Brave! Is an understatement!!!!! She deserves much more distinction than she's received! How about a Freedom Medal for this extraordinary woman?!!! President Biden, this would be constructive and have a lot of positive attention!!!!!

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#22

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that dogs and cats have special taste buds geared specifically for water

Buck_Thorn , Andrew S Report

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Another tactic that makes information stick is the retrieval practice. It is most often used when you want to remember information you are learning, whether it’s a language or a computer system. "This is testing yourself to see if you can pull the information out of your brain," Sprenger said. "As a teacher, I learned that many students, both middle and high school (and even college), could store information, yet they had trouble retrieving it for tests or essays."

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"Once you begin to learn something, stop and see if you can retrieve it without any help or cues. I call it a blank page review. Take a plain sheet of paper and write down what you’ve learned so far. Do that as you continue the learning. Pay attention to what you couldn’t retrieve. We learn from mistakes. You’ll be amazed at how that simple practice will increase your knowledge."
#23

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that The British Pound is the oldest currency in the world, it has been used for over 1,200 years and dated back to Anglo-Saxon era. Back then it equivalent to 1 pound of silver. One pound back then could buy you 15 cows

NPT1506 , Cristiano Betta Report

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#24

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that Nike created a pair of shoes that were so advanced, they were banned from the Olympics because they were considered as technological doping.The Alphaflys, or “the shoe that broke running”, as sports scientist Dr Ross Tuckercalled them, contain tech designed to deliver greater energy return

Arpith2019 , Yanki01 Report

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Nathaniel
Nathaniel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Nike shoes were made from Flubber. There is a couple of documentaries you can find on this substance.

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#25

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that the religious group known as the Shakers are completely celibate and cannot have children, so they can only gain new members by converting outsiders. As a result, there were only two people in the last existing Shaker community as of 2020, although they gained a single new member in 2021

IHad360K_KarmaDammit , Unknown Report

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Yet, if you set a goal to remember something happening right now, the expert suggested to "look for the emotional component (it may be that you’re having fun!), be aware of where you are, and practice retrieving the information. When you meet a new person who is going to be important in your life, be sure to repeat their name. That’s a rehearsal and will help you retrieve the name later. Practice makes perfect…and permanent!"
#26

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that In 2018, Pope Francis married two flight attendants in an impromptu mid-air wedding on a plane during a trip to Chile. The couple had gotten married in a civil ceremony in 2010 but weren't able to follow it up with a church service because of the earthquake in Chile that year

CaliforniaAudman13 , MIKI Yoshihito Report

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#27

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL - According to a 2009 Sports Illustrated article, 60 percent of former NBA players are broke within five years of retirement. By the time they have been retired for two years, 78% of former NFL players have gone bankrupt or are under financial stress

edfitz83 , Kenny Eliason Report

Final score:
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Den Ver
Den Ver
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I've got mixed emotions about multi-millionaires going bankrupt.

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#28

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Mount Thor in Canada has the world's longest vertical drop. If you fell off it, you would fall for over a kilometer before you hit anything

sisyphushaditsoeasy , Paul Gierszewski Report

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Nathaniel
Nathaniel
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I bet there is a long queue of women wanting to Mount Thor.

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Lastly, Sprenger stressed the importance of social-emotional learning and creating meaningful relationships. "We are all students as we go out into the world and learn. Getting to know people, the people you work with, live with, ride the bus with…all of our encounters include people who can help us learn. People need connection. We all want to belong. Belonging is not 'fitting in.' Fitting in is a way of changing to become like others. Belonging is being seen and heard for who you are. Make those connections, build those relationships, and learning will follow," she concluded.

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#29

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL in 2006, a mother and son were convicted of trying to extort money from Cracker Barrel by claiming they found a dead mouse in her soup. Charges were filed after a necropsy showed the mouse had no soup in its lungs and had not been cooked, signs that it was dropped into the soup after its death

Str33twise84 , Mike Mozart Report

Final score:
105points
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#30

TIL when a pilot ejects from their plane, the ejection seat manufacturer gives them a tie. The Ejection Tie Club is confined solely to those who have emergency ejected from an aircraft using a Martin-Baker ejection seat. There are over 6,000 members

JSwarley Report

Final score:
104points
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Amber Hartsfield
Amber Hartsfield
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Why a tie, why not something else, like a cupcake or a bowl of ice cream, those are much more helpful if you have to eject your seat from an airplane. Ice cream makes everything better

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#31

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL: The World's Littlest Skyscraper in Wichita Falls was built in 1919. Remote investors were swindled by intentionally not indicating the units on the planned blueprints were in inches, not feet

Fuzzie8 , Chuck Coker Report

Final score:
103points
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#32

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL: In the 25 years since Ron Goldman’s family won a $33,500,000 civil judgement against OJ Simpson for wrongful death, he has only paid the family about $133,000

joecooool418 , Towfiqu barbhuiya Report

Final score:
102points
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Chucky Cheezburger
Chucky Cheezburger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

On a side note, this made me feel older than I already feel cuz this happened when I was in high school.

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#33

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that humans have the highest daytime visual acuity of any mammal, and among the highest of any animal (some birds of prey have much better). However, we have relatively poor night vision

a2soup , Vitolda Klein Report

Final score:
98points
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Dynein
Dynein
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Here's how it's thought that difference came to be: There were already mammals during the later parts of the dinosaur era, but they were shrew-like, and were likely nocturnal and lived underground. You don't need good eyesight for that, and in fact mammals lost the ability to distinguish green and red which their reptilian ancestors almost certainly were able to see (birds and a lot of reptilians and fish never lost that ability). However, mammals evolved a better sense of hearing (those tiny bones by the ear drum) as well as an excellent sense of smell. After/during the dinosaur extinction, they likely had an easier time to adapt to the changed environment due to their natural life style. Most mammals never regained their ability to distinguish red and green - with one exception: primates. Our color vision is still evolving, though, and not near the capability of color distinction that birds have!

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#34

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL in 2009 an American tourist was almost left behind by his transcontinental Australian train. He clung to the outside for two hours and 124 miles in only a t-shirt and jeans while the temperature dropped below freezing

kwykwy , Martin Sanchez Report

Final score:
97points
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#35

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that a trio of drunken boys decided to sail out to sea looking for a girl they saw at a sports competition event. They ended up sailing for more than seven weeks and drifted 1300 km off course before being rescued by a tuna boat. They all survived by drinking beer, eating coconuts and a bird

cv990 , Mohamed Hassaan Report

Final score:
88points
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#36

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that in 2017 a sailor was stranded and alone on a cargo ship near the Suez Canal for almost 4 years. Since the owner was having financial difficulties and the captain had gone ashore, the local court declared the sailor the legal guardian

rigorousthinker , U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Report

Final score:
86points
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icemagicion avatar
Sasha
Sasha
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Squatters right i guess (an actual thing, legally btw)

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#37

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL the average Mexican is genetically 50% indigenous with evidence of native ancestry being significantly higher on the X chromosome

untipoquenojuega , nci Report

Final score:
86points
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Timmy Pillinger
Timmy Pillinger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Mexicans are more likely to have female native ancestors than male.

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#38

TIL that after the Portuguese dictator Salazar went into coma, he was dismissed as Prime Minister. When he emerged from it and recovered lucidity, no one wanted to tell him he had been removed from power, instead he was allowed to "rule" in privacy until his death 2 years later

SteO153 Report

Final score:
80points
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#39

TIL only 5% of residential homes in the UK are thought to have air conditioning and many buildings are designed in a way to keep heat in

trugrav Report

Final score:
80points
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clairebauling avatar
Crouching hippo hidden panda
Crouching hippo hidden panda
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Well yeah, because growing up there it was rarely above 25 degrees in the summer. Global warming is happening scarily fast

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#40

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL Microsoft held a mock funeral for iPhone because they thought the windows phone 7 was going to smash apple in sales

TurtleBoy29 , Gabriel Report

Final score:
79points
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Deepesh Soni
Deepesh Soni
Community Member
2 years ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Never lambast your competitors, but always learn from them. Competition is essential for success.

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#41

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL coding RollerCoaster Tycoon in the late 1990s required significant optimization of PC power and memory constraints at the time. Per designer Chris Sawyer, letting guests drown was simply easier than programming the alternative of allowing them to swim to shore

blueberrisorbet , Nazmus Khandaker Report

Final score:
78points
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#42

TIL that official temperatures used in weather apps are taken in shade, not under sunlight

inkdumpster Report

Final score:
74points
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#43

TIL in the movie Arachnophobia, the largest spider was a bird-eating spider they named Big Bob, after Robert Zemekis. Big Bob was adopted by a crew member named Jamie Hyneman, who went on to host Mythbusters. The little ones were controlled using a hairdryer and lemon pledge spray

hungryturtle84 Report

Final score:
72points
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#44

TIL Gloria Williams, who pleaded guilty to posing as a hospital employee and abducting Kamiyah Mobley from her mother's arms in the maternity ward, was sentenced to 18 years, which was the length of time Mobley was separated from her birth family

WonderWmn212 Report

Final score:
71points
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wendillon avatar
Monday
Monday
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The extra sad part is for Kamiyah, Gloria is her real mom since she's the woman who loved and raised her for those 18 years. She even made a plea to get Gloria's sentence reduced saying "I need my mother home". Her biological parents, the victims of Gloria's crime, are the villains in Kamiyah's story :(

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#45

TIL that a single engineer in the control room of NASA prevented the astronauts of Apollo 12 from aborting the mission seconds after launch. "Set SCE to AUX", said John Aaron which saved the entire mission

loadedbrawler14 Report

Final score:
66points
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Stephanie Barr
Stephanie Barr
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The Saturn V was struck by lightning after launch. The CM's instruments momentarily went off-line and Mission Control lost the telemetry feeds from the spacecraft for several seconds. When ground control regained telemetry lock with the spacecraft, the feeds were garbled and reported incomplete and possibly inaccurate information. A ground controller believed the signal Conditioning Equipment would have automatically gone off-line in response to the kind of disruption to the spacecraft's electrical systems that a lightning strike would cause and malfunctioned. Fortunately, the crewmember, Alan Bean, also remembered the scenario from training and knew how to implement the relatively obscure command.

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#46

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that in 1988 the FBI National Center for the Analysis of Violent Crime (NCAVC) did a psychological profile of Jack the Ripper in time for the 100 years anniversary of the White Chapel murders. The FBI profiled Jack as male, 28-36 years old, most likely a butcher, mortician, or medical orderly

saddetective87 , SenseiAlan Report

Final score:
66points
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Andrew Wildman
Andrew Wildman
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

FBI profile of a serial killer is a white middle-aged male... that's helpful.

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#47

TIL that a robot fish invented to mimic the natural predator of the 'mosquitofish' was so effective that it altered their behaviour, physiology and fertility, effectively "scaring them to death"

robertthomsonanim Report

Final score:
63points
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Samantha
Samantha
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Can we get one of these for other invasive species? Flying carp, anyone?

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#48

TIL the reason why Wine Coolers dropped in popularity in the USA after the 80s was because in 1991, the US excise tax on wine was raised from $0.17 per gallon to a $1.07, making it uneconomical for Wine Cooler makers to produce at a palatable price for buyers

AspireAgain Report

Final score:
61points
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mbbookkeeping avatar
DuchessDegu
DuchessDegu
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's the only wine I ever enjoyed drinking, all the rest taste like vinegar to me

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#49

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL male goats urinate on their heads to smell more attractive to females

sillyibistt , chris robert Report

Final score:
59points
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scagsy77 avatar
$cagsy
$cagsy
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I know that goats are agile but there must be some next-level gymnastics at play here.

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#50

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL that production on "No Country For Old Men" was shut down for a day due to a large black cloud of smoke drifting into view. The smoke was coming from a pyrotechnics test on the set of Paul Thomas Anderson's "There Will Be Blood", which was simultaneously filming in the same town of Marfa, TX

gayspeedracer , iClassical Com Report

Final score:
54points
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#51

TIL of Tonda Dickerson, a waitress who was tipped a lottery ticket that won. The jackpot was $10M. She was sued by her co-workers who demanded a share and the person who tipped her, who demanded a truck, and was pursued by the IRS, who demanded a gift tax

NoFunHere Report

Final score:
31points
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the_true_opifex avatar
Katie Lutesinger
Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The more I hear about winning the lottery, the more undesirable it sounds.

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#52

TIL that Christian Bale had dental work done to make his teeth more perfect for American Psycho (2000) to match the superficial appearance of his character Patrick Bateman

QuicklyThisWay Report

Final score:
26points
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#53

TIL Onions have sucrose, a natural sugar, trapped in their cells. The longer you cook an onion the more sucrose is released and the heat converts the sucrose into glucose and fructose which are sweeter sugars. This process is called caramelization and it creates very sweet tasting onions

Bluest_waters Report

Final score:
22points
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#54

"Today I Learned": 50 Times People Learned Interesting Facts Online And Couldn't Wait To Share With Others (New Posts) TIL of Sonya Thomas, a competitive eater. In 2005, she held 22 world titles at a bodyweight of 99 lbs. and defeated elite male and female competitors twice her size or more

JOWWLLL , Tony Fischer Report

Final score:
20points
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Mark Berry
Mark Berry
Community Member
2 years ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

What about Molly Schuyler? In April 2015, at The Big Texan Steak Ranch, she ate three 72-oz. steak dinners in 20 minutes. She completed the first meal in a record 4 minutes 18 seconds, beating her own (and the restaurant's) record by 40 seconds. She's half again as big as Sonja, but is still very small compared to most competitive eaters.

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