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“Today I Learned”: 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts)

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With over 28.6 million members, this Reddit community is not your regular subreddit. Rather, it’s the internet’s beloved powerhouse that celebrates knowledge, curiosity, and intelligence.

By sharing something new to learn every single day, if not hour, Today I Learned has gained a following that keeps Reddit alive and gives our daily browsing the added value we crave.

So this time, we wrapped up a new batch of intriguing tidbits, surprising facts, and little-known bits of history to pour some brain stimuli into our feeds. Pull your seats closer, get your notebooks ready, and enjoy the TIL world right below!

Psst! More of TIL goodness awaits in our previous posts here, here, and here.

To find out more about the benefits of learning new things every day and ways to nurture our curiosity through life, Bored Panda reached out to Dr. Gleb Tsipursky, the CEO of Disaster Avoidance Experts and best-selling author of seven books, including a global bestseller Never Go With Your Gut: How Pioneering Leaders Make the Best Decisions and Avoid Business Disasters. Scroll down to find out what he said!

This post may include affiliate links.

#1

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Rip was a stray dog adopted by an Air Raid Patrol in WW2. Although not trained for rescue work, he sniffed out over 100 victims trapped beneath buildings. He was awarded the Dickin medal for his work, which has been held partially responsible for prompting the training of search and rescue dogs.

HoneyGlazedBadger , wikipedia Report

Final score:

557points

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#2

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Ireland limits taxation on writers, artist, composers, painters, etc. for their contribution to culture

Darth_Kahuna , Min An Report

Final score:

547points

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#3

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that scientists trying to study birds in Australia fitted them with tracking harnesses, and the birds helped each other take the harnesses off.

MalC123 , Florian Hahn Report

Final score:

545points

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Dr. Tsipursky explained that one of the most important ways that people's personalities differ from each other is a category called "openness to experience." According to him, it describes people who are more open to learning and trying out new things in life.

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“Openness to experience is one of the ‘big five’ personality traits that research shows fundamentally differentiate people from each other,” Dr. Tsipursky said. “The five personality traits are: openness to experience (inventive/curious vs. consistent/cautious); conscientiousness (efficient/organized vs. extravagant/careless); extraversion (outgoing/energetic vs. solitary/reserved); agreeableness (friendly/compassionate vs. critical/rational); neuroticism (sensitive/nervous vs. resilient/confident).”

#4

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL during a preview of the Sistine Chapel paintings, one of the Pope's men criticized all the "disgraceful" nudity. So Michaelangelo painted the critic's likeness into the Last Judgement, wearing nothing but a snake that's biting his d**k.

Pfeffer_Prinz , wikipedia Report

Final score:

489points

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#5

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Queen guitarist Brian May uses banjo strings on his electric guitars. Banjo strings are much lighter (thinner) and can bend much easier, making that signature Queen sound.

Status-Victory , wikipedia Report

Final score:

449points

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#6

TIL that in Laguna, Brazil, bottlenose dolphins actively herd fish towards local fishermen and then signal with tail slaps for the fishermen to throw their nets. This collaboration has been occurring since at least 1847.

graycatfat Report

Final score:

404points

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The book author claims that openness to experience, just like the other big five personality traits, is a range, not a binary. “Some people are highly curious, some people are moderately curious, some people are not at all curious. You can see this in toddlers - some like to run around and explore their environment, and others sit in the corner and play with blocks.”

#7

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that 65% of cancer survivors surveyed by 'war on cancer' said that they had been ghosted by friends or family after their diagnosis.

Murphyitsnotyou , Jon Tyson Report

Final score:

375points

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#8

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that in 2013 a climber found a box full of rubies, sapphires, and emeralds on a remote glacier on Mont Blanc. Authorities determined they were likely from an Indian plane that crashed there in 1966 and gave the climber half the gems (worth $169,000) to reward his honesty in turning them in.

a2soup , S Migaj Report

Final score:

364points

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#9

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL the New Zealand army helped in making the LOTR films by filling as Soldiers and Orcs

Proud-Equipment3816 Report

Final score:

350points

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When asked how we stay curious throughout life and what are the benefits of it, Dr. Tsipursky said that probably about half of our tendencies to be open to experience come from our genes, and half comes from our life experience and self-improvement efforts.

“That means we can learn to make better decisions when we shape our own personal openness to experience. In the modern world, it pays to be more open to experience than our intuitions suggest. Our intuitions are wired for the ancient savanna, when it was much more dangerous for our survival to be curious than it is right now,” he explained and added that “we should be more curious and stay more open to experience than our intuitions suggest.”

#10

TIL: Researchers in Botswana ran an experiment to reduce lion attacks in cows. They painted large eyes on the cow backsides. After several years, they showed fewer (zero) attacks on the eye-butt cows vs unpainted cows (15).

Geek_Nan Report

Final score:

318points

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#11

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Quaternary Twins are when two babies are both cousins and genetically siblings. This happens when two identical sisters have children with two identical brothers.

Convillious , salyerstwins Report

Final score:

315points

Down With Agent Hedgehog! 2 years ago

Wow. That would be a big, confusing family. ;)

150points

Meraj 2 years ago

Apparently the two families in the picture above live in the same house together.

17points

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Dawn Duckworth 2 years ago

I see a slight difference in the dad's foreheads. Yeah, that's not enough to go by....The babies have different colored hair, so that helps them.

14points

pat hayes 2 years ago

ok...my brain really hurts now..😂

3points

Pizzagirl 91 2 years ago

Maybe I'm better at this because I've got twins of my own, but I do see differences between the parents... Of course, they're made up to look more similar, but things like eyebrows, the smiles and the chins look different to me. I'm sure when you actually know them it's even easier. I never mistake my twins for one another when we're interacting, but people say it's hard to tell them apart when they see them in pictures.

1point

Grant Barke 2 years ago

Wife swapping nights must be boring.

35points

AngelKat 2 years ago

hahah!

6points

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Gul Dukat 2 years ago

I have to draw a diagram to understand this

21points

Alisha Schumacher 2 years ago

HAHAHAHA

1point

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Mario Strada 2 years ago

At least they didn't both have twins. Can you imagine what a mess?

17points

Phryne 2 years ago

I'm pretty sure I read that that has happened...and both sets of the kids were the same gender (I think all four were boys).

6points

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$cagsy 2 years ago

If you were an identical twin, you would have to pretend to be each other for a bit of fun wouldn't you?

8points

Jamilah toenailkilla 2 years ago

I'm an identical twin. Your partner definitely can tell the difference

18points

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Phyzzi 2 years ago

My aunts (probably actually mirror image twins but you have to watch pretty close to know one is a lefty and the other isn't) definitely did this and got sent to different schools to avoid it happening more.

2points

Alicia GriffonLady 2 years ago

My uncles did in school.

2points

Robert Trebor 2 years ago

Think if each couple had twins.

6points

Phryne 2 years ago

It's happened.

1point

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Ece Cenker 2 years ago

I wonder how alike looking the babies will be.

4points

Rosy Maple Moth 2 years ago

Here are more pics of the Salyers family: https://people.com/human-interest/salyers-family-photos-pictures-of-identical-twins-who-married-identical-twins-and-their-kids/

4points

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KK Thomas 2 years ago

Yep. I am an identical twin and my nieces are listed as my children on Ancestry.com. My son is listed under my twin’s profile as her son.

2points

Pizzagirl 91 2 years ago

Can you correct those "mistakes"? Would be confusing in the long run...

0points

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lazy mama 2 years ago

What if the swapped spouses?!?! If they had kids, you wouldn't be able to tell whose was whose?!?!?! 🤯

1point

Dawn Duckworth 2 years ago

At a company picnic (which did invite family), I walked up to my friend Misha and started talking. You looked at me and started giggling. She say ' I think your looking for Thing 1. I'm Thing 2.'. She then points behind me, where Misha was sitting with her daughter. NO FLIPPING CLUE SHE HAD AN IDENTICAL TWIN.

1point

R 2 years ago

Something similar happened to me. I was driving down town, the weather was warm and I had my windows open. I stopped at a pedestrian crossing and saw a friend from work crossing in front of me. I waved and shouted, hi, out of the window. He looked at me as though he didn't know me. I was confused. My passenger laughed as she believed he didn't know me. He stalled before stepping up onto the sidewalk and said, you must know x, we are identical twins. He walked off laughing. Spoke to x the next day at work. He confirmed, he's a twin. Apparently it happened often as we lived in a small city in the Midwest.

0points

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Rachel Konefka 2 years ago

But the babies are not identical, just as regular siblings would be

1point

Skylar Jaxx 2 years ago

Not sure if it's identical but maybe as u wouldn't be able to tell which baby belong to which parents by DNA. So I think they may have the same dna.

1point

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The Forgotten Loser 2 years ago

that hurts my brain but its cool!

1point

SarahBee 1 year ago

Mom and dad are from different families, so nothing incestuous. The kids just have the same mom DNA and dad DNA.

0points

Lizzy Abbey (she/they) 2 years ago

the white on their teeth is so brite it looks like photoshop

0points

Shabbir Yamani 2 years ago

So is the sibling more brother or sister than your real brother or sister than another non related brother or sister... (Ps: add more genders for political correctness... :P)

0points

Cass Malone 2 years ago

It doesn't make sense how they would be siblings. They're cousins

0points

Dee 2 years ago

Because identical twins have identical DNA and both sets of parents are identical twins… so the cousins are genetically siblings.

0points

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Dudeman 612 2 years ago

Do you think they ever swap? Or accidentally sleep with the wrong spouse?

0points

Pam Ives 2 years ago

Let's hope no one in the family chooses a life of crime.

0points

Lynsey Mooney 2 years ago

They are on TLC extreme sisters it's eye opening

0points

Joshua Collins 2 years ago

I like the family on the left. They seem like they are having more fun here! Lol

0points

lol.litl.owl 2 years ago

Their life is super cute! They all live together in a huge fairy tale house and run a business together as well.. they take turns babysitting so they can have date nights ❤️

0points

Holly Bee 2 years ago

Wild. They look photoshopped.🤯

0points

J D 2 years ago (edited)

That picture is a little bit creepy considering the fact that those are real people.

0points

PurpleUnicorn 2 years ago

So female twins marry make twins, their children are what twins - is that right?

0points

SarahBee 1 year ago

Genetic siblings - they have the same mom DNA and dad DNA.

0points

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Charlene Larson 2 years ago

Their family tree is a wreath. Are they from Arkansas or West Virginia?

0points

Pursuing Peonies 2 years ago

Not a wreath. You're thinking inbreeding, this is two couples who happen to also be twins.

0points

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Melvetta Bowles 2 years ago

Amazing

0points

Danielle Slade 2 years ago

You can watch them on tv!

0points

Phryne 2 years ago

And the kids are often the same gender and born almost the same time - some even the same day. It's really weird.

0points

Viktor 2 years ago

Oh dear, don’t get the kids mixed up. No DNA test in the world would be able to match them back with their parents.

0points

Gladys Hayes Southerland 2 years ago

You would never know who you were talking to & you better not drink while you're there-you're already seeing doubles

0points

Heather Heaston 2 years ago

It also happens when your husband's father has an affair with his wife's sister while they're " on a break and then he (the husband, now ex-) comes along just a couple months after the resultant twin girls. He didn't find out they were also his sisters until after his mother died when he was 18. The sister already had 5 other kids by three men so I guess nobody questioned the whole thing. I called them his sister cousins...

0points

R 2 years ago

You'll have to make that simpler to understand. I'm lost. I'm assuming your ex husband was birthed by the wife and the twins were birthed by her sister. If thats the case then it makes sense.

0points

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Alicia Damrow 2 years ago

I went to school with 2 such cousin twins. They were born on the same day, and identical except one girl had a mole on her cheek.

0points

Mousey 2 years ago

Wonder how ancestry websites would report this? 😁

0points

Shelly Provines Aû 2 years ago

So say there were two identical twin brothers, they married and had kids. The kids would be cousins, but since we inherit half our DNA from each parent wouldn't that make them genetically half siblings?

0points

R 2 years ago

Yes.

0points

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Cammy Cat 2 years ago

Just me or does that pic look weird?

0points

Rich Marcheschi 2 years ago

I think that was the basis of The Patty Duke Show from the 60's, she played both identical cousins.

0points

TomCat 2 years ago

I once stopped dating someone when he introduced me to his identical twin brother. It creeped me out.

-1point

R 2 years ago

I up arrowed you. I hadn't thought about it before but your post made think. I realized that it would feel strange to me too. I wouldn't be able to date someone who was an almost exact copy of them. Reminds me of when a family member had a nose job. He look so strange to me afterwards. He looked like him only tweaked a little. I found it so creepy. He was my relative but slightly morphed. I doubt that is dissimilar to seeing your partners twin.

0points

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Mine Truly 2 years ago

I put incest in your incest because it wasn't incest enough

-2points

Kris Knight 2 years ago

Genetically siblings, does that mean possible birth defects?

-3points

Laurenbmsp 2 years ago

they also live in the same house btw🤮

-3points

Captain Panda 2 years ago

sister-cousins for life!

-3points

Trisec Tebeakesse 2 years ago

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J 2 years ago

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#12

TIL that Albert Göring, Hermann Göring's Brother, was opposed to Nazism, and helped Jews and others who were persecuted escape Nazi Germany. He died in 1966 never having received recognition for his actions.

Kallipolis_Sewer Report

Final score:

304points

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Many people feel a loss of motivation to explore new things as they age. “Research shows that teenagers are most comfortable with uncertainty, and become less comfortable as they become young adults,” Dr. Tsipursky said.

He continued: “And we become less and less comfortable with uncertainty as we age. We are evolved to be more exploration-oriented when young and when we are finding our place in the world, but our hormones change to cause us to be more oriented toward settling down and seeking comfort and certainty once we are older and find our place in life.”

#13

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL the 1993 Chinese film, "An Old Man and his Dog" was banned in its native country for decades due to the discovery that the dog trainer and body double to the lead actor was a serial killer who fed his victims to dogs, including the ones onscreen.

lsaille1 , Nancy Guth Report

Final score:

297points

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#14

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that urine comes from your blood, not directly from your digestive system.

FutureSkeIeton , HelpStay.com Exchange Report

Final score:

296points

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#15

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL: Steve Jobs offered Linus Torvalds, the creator of Linux a job at Apple under the condition he stopped developing for Linux. He declined the job offer.

EngineerMinded , wikipedia Report

Final score:

290points

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#16

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Patricia Stallings was wrongfully convicted for the murder of her infant son under suspicion of antifreeze poisoning before being released due to a biochemist finding that her son had methylmalonic acidemia after hearing about her case on the television series, Unsolved Mysteries.

90PercentCoffee , Robert Laursoo Report

Final score:

287points

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#17

TIL that during a battle with American troops led by Gen. Custer, Chief Sitting Bull moved within rifle range, methodically filled his pipe, encouraged others to join him, slowly smoked as bullets flew by, and returned unscathed as a display of contempt and courage.

attackADS Report

Final score:

286points

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#18

Today I learned that in Central Europe there are hunger stones (hungerstein), in river beds stones were marked with an inscription, visible only when the flow was low enough to warn of a drought that would cause famine.

Final score:

270points

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#19

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL of 'Denny', the only known individual whose parents were two different species of human. She lived ninety thousand years ago in central Asia, where a fragment of her bone was found in 2012. Her mother was a Neanderthal and her father was a Denisovan.

Megdatronica , theguardian Report

Final score:

267points

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#20

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that in New Jersey, it is illegal for criminals to wear a bulletproof vest while committing a crime

sheggysheggy , Nur Andi Ravsanjani Gusma Report

Final score:

256points

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#21

TIL that using recycled glass to make new glass requires 40% less energy than making it from all new materials. It saves energy because crushed glass melts at a lower temp than the raw materials. Glass is sometimes recycled into "glassphault" or is used as a landfill covering over waste materials.

frogcharming Report

Final score:

251points

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#22

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Ronald Reagan started eating Jelly Belly's to quit smoking and kept it up so much that during his terms as President he would have more than 300 thousand jelly beans shipped to the White House each month

immaownyou , Steven Lilley Report

Final score:

250points

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#23

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL after tigers escaped from a zoo in Georgia and killed a man, advice was issued on what to do if you meet a tiger, including: don’t approach it, don’t run away, and don’t urinate

pufballcat , Rick L Report

Final score:

239points

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#24

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that Ben Franklin's invention of the lightning rod was blamed by church leaders for the 1755 Cape Ann earthquake off the coast of Colonial Massachusetts — as his "heretical rods" interfered with the "artillery of Heaven" & deprived God of using lightning as "tokens of His displeasure."

zombieinferno , reza jahangir Report

Final score:

231points

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#25

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Tasmanian Devils bear up to 50 babies, but only have four nipples. The first four babies that successfully make it from the birth canal into the pouch stand a chance of surviving, while the rest die and are eaten by the mother.

thejamescullen , David Clode Report

Final score:

230points

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#26

TIL a "Chernobyl necklace" is a horizontal scar at the base of the throat from surgery to remove thyroid cancer caused by fallout from a nuclear accident

Final score:

230points

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#27

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL in 2013 in Florida, a sink hole unexpectedly opened up beneath a sleeping man’s bedroom and swallowed him whole. He is presumed dead.

RedditPowerUser01 Report

Final score:

229points

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#28

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that maggot therapy is an FDA approved treatment option for ulcers and wounds to promote healing. Live maggots are placed at the site of injury and eat the necrotic tissue, while also secreting anti-microbial chemicals.

turk_a_lurk , Robert Gunnarsson Report

Final score:

228points

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#29

TIL that due to ADA standards, elevators going up ding once and elevators going down ding twice to help those with disabilities

darpacheetos Report

Final score:

227points

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#30

TIL actor Matt Doherty, who played Les Averman in the Mighty Ducks films, didn't know how to skate or play hockey at all when he was cast in the first movie. By the time they shot the 3rd movie, he was captain of his high school hockey team and had been offered a scholarship to play in college.

CletusVanDamnit Report

Final score:

224points

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#31

TIL animal “zoomies” have a technical name: Frenetic Random Activity Periods, or “FRAPs”

ilovedogsandtits Report

Final score:

222points

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#32

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL about the 1936 presidential election in which Roosevelt received 98.49% of the electoral vote total, which remains the highest percentage of the electoral vote won by any candidate since 1820.

o_ahu , Library of Congress Report

Final score:

215points

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#33

TIL in 2018, a 34-year-old man blew a hole in his throat by holding his nose and closing his mouth while sneezing. The expulsion of air from a sneeze can propel mucous droplets at a rate of 100 mph. He was given antibiotics and put on a feeding tube for 7 days and recovered with no permanent damage.

Str33twise84 Report

Final score:

214points

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#34

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL the first victim of the Chernobyl disaster was Valery Khodemchuk who died as the reactor exploded, his body was never found and is entombed in the wreckage of the Chernobyl power plant

rocklou , wikipedia Report

Final score:

205points

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#35

TIL that there's something called the "preparedness paradox." Preparation for a danger (an epidemic, natural disaster, etc.) can keep people from being harmed by that danger. Since people didn't see negative consequences from the danger, they wrongly conclude that the danger wasn't bad to start with

Final score:

191points

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#36

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) Til wolverine was created because Marvel's then editor in chief Roy Thomas wanted a Canadian hero to boost north-of-the-border sales

JOMO_Kenyatta , Jack O'Rourke Report

Final score:

190points

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#37

TIL that the Museum of Icelandic Sorcery & Witchcraft has a replica of Nábrók (or necropants), a pair of pants made from the skin of a dead man or woman, which are believed in Icelandic witchcraft to be capable of producing an endless supply of money.

palimugre Report

Final score:

188points

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#38

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL of the museum infested with the Chilean Recluse spider (Loxosceles laeta), widely considered to be the most venomous of its kind. The museum, Finnish Museum of Natural History, is located in Helsinki & no one is sure how the spider, native to South & Central America, came into the museum.

bdrumzzz , wikipedia Report

Final score:

183points

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#39

TIL in 1994, the family of 13-year-old Chris Kirkland made a bet that one day their son would play for Team England, with a bookie giving them 100-1 odds. The bet paid off in 2006, when the goalkeeper played for England in a match against Greece, with the family making £10,000

atomicbolt Report

Final score:

179points

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#40

TIL of Puppy Pregnancy Syndrome, a psychosomatic illness found only in parts of India, where individuals who have been bitten by a dog believe that a puppy is conceived in their abdomen. Sufferers often report seeing the puppy in their reflection, or hearing it growl in their belly.

nickomoss Report

Final score:

176points

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#41

TIL that during World War One up to 12 million letters a week were delivered to soldiers, many on the front line

hariseldon2 Report

Final score:

170points

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#42

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL before Shazam was an app, it was a telephone service which you could call to identify a song. The caller would then get a text message with the song details.

wilymon , cottonbro Report

Final score:

165points

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#43

TIL in 1972, diver Bret Gilliam survived a 325+ ft ascent, with an empty oxygen tank, after trying to save a colleague from attacking sharks.

mmmyesplease--- Report

Final score:

163points

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#44

TIL that the video for Weird Al's "Smells like Nirvana" was shot in the same sound stage as the clip for Smells like teen spirit and also used most of the extras from the original, including the janitor that's featured in various scenes.

AMonkeyAndALavaLamp Report

Final score:

161points

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#45

TIL cheese has morphine-like compound named casomorphin

Anarcheddon Report

Final score:

160points

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#46

TIL House Termites did make it over to England, but a 27 year government funded programme eradicated them in 2021.

enchantedspring Report

Final score:

158points

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#47

TIL that there are only 20 ancient lakes (defined as carrying water for more than a million years) in the world, with only 3 in North America (Tahoe, Tule, Pingualuk). Nearly all are tectonic (i.e. rift zones) in origin, however 2 are from meteorite craters (Pingualuk in Canada, Bosumtwi in Ghana)

Sansabina Report

Final score:

158points

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#48

TIL It took 20,000 hours of underwater repairs but the United States managed to refloat a majority of the battleships sunk at Pearl Harbor. Recovered ships including the USS West Virginia, USS California, USS Tennessee, USS Maryland, and USS Pennsylvania all fought in the Philippines.

jamescookenotthatone Report

Final score:

143points

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#49

TIL about Project Possible, Nimsdai Purja climbed the 14 mountains that are above 8,000 meters in just Six months.They told Nims his project was simply impossible. So he called it Project Possible. While climbing Kanchenjunga he was partying the night before and was hungover during the climb.

Anthadvl Report

Final score:

141points

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#50

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that in 1933, yo-yos were banned in Syria, because many locals superstitiously blamed the use of them for a severe drought.

slinkslowdown , wikipedia Report

Final score:

136points

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#51

TIL the first ally soldier to step onto the beaches of Normandy during the D-Day invasion was Leonard Treherne "Max" Schroeder Jr. He made it out alive and was awarded the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart. He died in 2009 at the age of 90.

No-Caterpillar4212 Report

Final score:

44points

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#52

TIL that in addition to using the stars, Micronesians navigated the Pacific by recognizing and interpreting different type of ocean swells, even using them to pinpoint the existence of islands hundreds of miles away. Marshallese islanders additionally made stick maps of these ocean swell patterns.

Final score:

42points

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#53

TIL Vertus Hardiman, who at age 5 in 1928 was subject to radiation experiments disguised as a new ringworm treatment. He lived 80 years suffering necrosis of his skull, hidden under hats and wigs.

Glandrid Report

Final score:

38points

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#54

TIL that there’s a medical procedure called “Fecal Transplant” that literally consists in collecting feces, also called stool or poop, from a healthy donor and introduce them into a patient’s gastrointestinal tract. The procedure can control an infection called Clostridium difficile.

Barzobius Report

Final score:

38points

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#55

TIL despite being silent about Joseph McCarthy in public, President Dwight D. Eisenhower started a secret campaign that ultimately ended the Senator's career.

Apart_Shock Report

Final score:

35points

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#56

TIL Before Canada was officially named Canada, other names had been suggested but rejected. Some examples: Albertsland, Borealia, Britannia, Tuponia and others. The current name likely comes from the aboriginal word "Kanata" which means village or settlement.

BaronVonNacho Report

Final score:

35points

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Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Dutch Swimmer Goes Viral For Super Revealing Trunks During 2024 Olympics: “Is This Legal?”

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

Thrill-Seeking Diver Jumps Down Extreme Waterslide, Ignoring The Strict Ban For Women

#57

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL Matthew McConaughey was first assigned to play Marty Hart in the first season of True Detective. McConaughey asked to switch to Rust Cohle due to the character's obsessive tendencies. McConaughey created a 450-page analysis of Cohle to study the character's evolution in the series.

sexpressed , wikipedia Report

Final score:

34points

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#58

TIL during the Gulf War, Saddam Hussein built a defensive line filled with trenches and tunnels, hoping to engage the coalition in World War 1-style trench warfare. Instead, the US forces just charged with modified bullzdozers and simply plowed through the Iraqi trenches, burying many alive

LordLoko Report

Final score:

34points

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#59

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL That the skeletons in the pool scene in Poltergeist were real human skeletons.

ahydell , Taylor Smith Report

Final score:

34points

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#60

TIL an RHS test building covered in ivy stayed 7.2C cooler then non covered buildings. The leave structure also kept the walls dry, lowering humidity and protecting it from corrosion

matroosoft Report

Final score:

34points

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Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

Woman Put A Water Fountain With A Camera In Her Yard, Here Are 24 Photos Of Regular Visitors (New Pics)

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

“Ma’am I Live Here”: Woman Refuses To Back Out Of Driveway, Learns A Lesson The Hard Way

#61

TIL while studying flight or fight a biologist grouped guppies in 3 categories "bold" (inspect threat), ordinary (hide), timid (flee). He then put a bass in with the guppies, 40 percent of the timid guppies and 15 percent of the ordinary guppies survived while none of the bold guppies did.

shaka_sulu Report

Final score:

34points

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#62

TIL that Major League Baseball pitcher Ed Porray is the only player in league history to not be born in a country. He was born on a fishing boat in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean on December 5th, 1888. His birth certificate lists "At sea, on the Atlantic Ocean" as his birthplace.

SlapsLikeFlea13 Report

Final score:

33points

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#63

TIL since 2004 the residents of La California, a town in Italy, have held farcical ballots for the United States presidential elections. Although votes cast by La California residents do not count, they still send the result of each election to the nearby US consulate in Florence

Brutal_Deluxe_ Report

Final score:

33points

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50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

50 Of The Most Incredible Shots That Were Submitted To The Comedy Wildlife Photography Awards

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

French Diver’s “Jewels” In Tight Swimming Trunks Become Talk Of The Town At Olympics

#64

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL that after constantly eat raw beef over a couple of years, a man in China eventually had a 20 foot long tapeworm living in his small intestine, and it turned out that the tapeworm had been inside his small intestines for at least 2 years.

Imaginary_Emu3462 , Fábio Bueno Report

Final score:

32points

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#65

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL the SEC pays 10-30% of the fine to whistleblowers whose info leads to over $1m fines

fap_fap_fap_fapper , Celyn Kang Report

Final score:

32points

#66

TIL that scenes for Gladiator, Band of Brothers, Children of Men, Thor and Coldplay’s The Scientist were all filmed in the same woodland in Surrey

Final score:

32points

#67

TIL About 'Project 100,000', a Vietnam era program to recruit 100,000 men a year to fight America's war in southeast Asia. Many of the recruits were illiterate, had IQs of less than 70, or suffered from other mental or physical impairments. Thousands of the recruits died in combat.

gaslightindustries Report

Final score:

32points

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Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Woman Moves Out Of Parents' Home After They Asked Her To Give Her Space To Brother, They Freak Out

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

Mom Leaves $250k Inheritance To Son, Throws A Fit When Daughter Stops Looking After Her

#68

TIL that scientists managed to virtually reconstruct the destroyed planetary system of the star WD 1145+017 by analysing the debris field around the star. Giving birth to the field of astronomy dedicated to studying destroyed planets known as Necroplanetology.

Final score:

32points

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#69

TIL that Laos is the most heavily bombed country in history. An average of 55 bombs dropped per minute over 9 years.

Final score:

32points

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#70

"Today I Learned": 50 Curious Things About The World People Didn’t Learn At School (New Posts) TIL your belly button depth isn’t determined by the cut at birth, but just randomly how your stump heals.

Mojobaby817 , RODNAE Productions Report

Final score:

31points

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#71

TIL about Major Wilbert “Doug” Peterson, who managed to perform the first and only air-to-space kill in history when he shot down a satellite with a F-15A fighter jet on September 13, 1985.

Final score:

30points

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Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

Woman Refuses To Chip In For Babysitting Because She Doesn’t Even Have Kids, Asks If She’s A Jerk

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

“This Breaks My Heart”: People Stunned—And Angry—After Woman Buys Lost Luggage From Airport

#72

TIL The Salvation Army was originally opposed by and fought with The Skeleton Army which was composed of lower and working class citizens, punks and miscreants who objected to the SA's views on abstinence and temperence.

Jedi_Knight_TomServo Report

Final score:

30points

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#73

TIL: Until 2013, foreign chefs in Japan were legally barred from working in restaurants specializing in traditional Japanese food and could only serve foreign cuisine. Japan changed its regulations for foreign chefs after traditional Japanese cuisine won UNESCO designation.

diacewrb Report

Final score:

30points

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#74

TIL that seaweeds, like kelp, are not plants. They belong in the kingdom Protista. Seaweeds lack the vascular system and roots of a plant; they can absorb the water and nutrients they need directly from the ocean.

TheJzoli Report

Final score:

30points

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#75

TIL that there is an island between Spain and France whose administration alternates every 6 months between both nations.

Final score:

30points

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"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

"I Didn't Start The Dryer": Karen Gets Taught A Lesson After Throwing Out Neighbor's Wet Clothes

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

Guy Divorced 3 Years Ago Drops Off 3 Y.O. With His Ex-Wife Completely Out Of The Blue

#76

TIL Socrates wrote nothing. All that is known about him has been inferred from accounts by members of his circle—primarily Plato and Xenophon—as well as by Plato's student Aristotle, who acquired his knowledge of Socrates through his teacher.

gullydon Report

Final score:

27points

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#77

TIL the woman who created the green bean casserole is in the Inventor's Hall of Fame

bearfeedmitch Report

Final score:

27points

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#78

TIL that everyone with a prostate has a structure called Vagina Masculina (aka Prostatic utricle), homologous to the female vagina.

Banana_Boy_lol Report

Final score:

27points

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#79

TIL there is an egg-shaped dwarf planet called Haumea in our Solar System - its shape its due to incredibly fast rotation and it even has two moons.

here_for_fun_XD Report

Final score:

27points

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College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

College Student Does Exactly As Told After Roommates Demand They Keep Their Stuff In Their Room

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

“All Three Shot Out Pink”: Triplets' Baby Shower Turns Sour, Pregnant Wife Wants A Divorce

#80

TIL: Spartans magistrates would declare war on their slaves every year so they were free to harm or kill them.

nasandre Report

Final score:

26points

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#81

TIL James Salisbury, inventor of the Salisbury steak, was a physician during the American Civil War. He was convinced that vegetables were responsible for heart disease and mental illness, and that Salisbury steak should be eaten three times a day for bodily defense and weight loss.

SaffronJim34 Report

Final score:

26points

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#82

TIL Armie Hammer's great grandfather Armand Hammer tried to buy Arm & Hammer because was tired of being asked about it

thecity2 Report

Final score:

26points

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#83

TIL Production on ALF was tense. The set was elevated and full of trap doors constantly being reset. Due to technical issues the 30 minute show took 20 to 25 hours to shoot. One especially stressful day Max Wright attacked ALF and the two had to be separated.

jamescookenotthatone Report

Final score:

25points

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#84

TIL the "official" death of President Zachary Taylor was an overconsumption of cherries and milk, but the cause of death has been the subject of conspiracy theories.

90PercentCoffee Report

Final score:

25points

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#85

TIL there were chips made with Olestra that caused many to run to the restroom

return2ozma Report

Final score:

24points

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#86

TIL In 1978, President Carter oversaw the installation of the first computers in the White House: a Hewlett-Packard HP 3000, water-cooled IBM laser printer, and Xerox Alto desktop computer for the Oval Office. Reagan later removed the Xerox Alto in 1981

Pure_Candidate_3831 Report

Final score:

23points

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#87

TIL that Christopher Columbus' smaller two ships were not really named the Niña and the Pinta. The Niña was actually named the Santa Clara, but was nicknamed after its owner, Juan Niño of Moguer. The original name of The Pinta is lost, and is only known by its nickname (the painted one).

derstherower Report

Final score:

22points

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#88

TIL about Royce Williams who in 1952 was engaged in a one-man dogfight with seven MiG-15s that lasted 35 minutes.

drawnograph Report

Final score:

22points

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#89

TIL more countries use the comma separator (17,6) than the point separator (17.6)

fap_fap_fap_fapper Report

Final score:

22points

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#90

TIL in 1999, Martin Lawrence collapsed from heat exhaustion while jogging in heavy clothing and a plastic suit in preparation for Big Momma’s House. He recovered in the hospital after entering a three-day near fatal coma due to a body temperature of 107 °F, his breathing assisted by a ventilator.

Str33twise84 Report

Final score:

22points

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#91

TIL Gregor Mendel's research into inheritance was largely ignored or misunderstood until Hugo de Vries and Carl Correns independently duplicated his works in 1900. Mendel's paper on plant hybridization had only been cited 3 times in the previous 35 years.

jamescookenotthatone Report

Final score:

22points

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#92

TIL Canadian country/pop singer Shania Twain is the only female artist in history to have three consecutive albums certified Diamond by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA); one of those albums - Come On Over - has been certified Double Diamond.

big_macaroons Report

Final score:

22points

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#93

TIL In 1999 Tiger Woods hit a tee shot that landed behind a boulder. The boulder was ruled a 'loose impedement' which allowed it to be moved. Several of Tiger's gallery and his caddie worked together to move the boulder, allowing Tiger to birdie the hole.

haddock420 Report

Final score:

21points

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#94

TIL that the popularity of "Doer" names for Boys - like Racer, Trooper, Charger, Wrangler, etc. - rose by 1000% between 1980 and 2000, and has since largely stabilized at around 50,000 "Doer" named Boys per year.

AspireAgain Report

Final score:

21points

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#95

TIL that David Blaine has over the course of a decade been buried alive for 7 days, encased in ice for 64 hrs, stood on 100ft high pillar for 35 hrs, survived only on water for 44 days and spent 7 days submerged underwater water

LongshanksAragon Report

Final score:

20points

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#96

TIL that CarMax was founded by the now-defunct consumer electronics company, Circuit City

hurricane14 Report

Final score:

20points

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#97

TIL Jelly has traditionally been savory. The oldest known meat jelly recipe is from the 10th-century cook book Kitab al-Tabikh and ingredients include boiled fish heads, vinegar, and whole onions. Jelly containing fruits would come later.

jamescookenotthatone Report

Final score:

20points

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#98

TIL about Amobi Okoye, who moved to the US at 12 without any knowledge of American Football before graduating at 16 with All-state honors. He turned down Harvard to play for Louisville and went on to become the youngest NCAA, and eventually youngest NFL player in history.

Nightcrawler_DIO Report

Final score:

19points

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#99

TIL that the first touch screen in a car was in a 1986 Buick Riviera. The display offered automatic climate control, AM/FM radio with optional graphic equalizer, trip calculations, gauges and even the vehicles diagnostic info. This included status on the powertrain, brake wear and electrical system.

VoidOfEndlessDark Report

Final score:

19points

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#100

TIL that the visual effects of the film, The Fountain, cost only a total of $140,000 on a budget of $35 million due to macro photographer Peter Parks’ creative solutions and a bare minimum of CGI.

Paracortex Report

Final score:

18points

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#101

TIL A report about American fast food consumption concludes people actually eat more fast food as their income levels go up

Pure_Candidate_3831 Report

Final score:

18points

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#102

TIL of Carrie Nation, a woman who fought against the widespread alcohol consumption in the US before the prohibition by attacking saloons with a hatchet

not-much Report

Final score:

17points

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#103

TIL that Alarm clocks did exist before the snooze function, so there was already a standard gear setup that innovators had to work with. Getting the gear teeth to line up to allow for exactly ten minutes wasn’t possible, so they chose to set it at nine minutes and a few seconds.

wickerlark Report

Final score:

17points

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#104

TIL in 2004 Volvo introduced a concept car that was built for women without a hood and dent-resistant bumpers

graycatfat Report

Final score:

15points

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Liucija Adomaite

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Liucija Adomaite is a creative mind with years of experience in copywriting. She has a dynamic set of experiences from advertising, academia, and journalism. This time, she has set out on a journey to investigate the ways in which we communicate ideas on a large scale. Her current mission is to find a magic formula for how to make ideas, news, and other such things spread like a virus.

Kotryna Br

Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

Kotryna is a Photo Editor at Bored Panda with a BA in Graphic Design. Before Bored Panda, she worked as a freelance graphic designer and illiustrator. When not editing, she enjoys working with clay, drawing, playing board games and drinking good tea.

Greta Jaruševičiūtė

Greta is a Photo Editor-in-Chief at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication.In 2016, she graduated from Digital Advertising courses where she had an opportunity to meet and learn from industry professionals. In the same year, she started working at Bored Panda as a photo editor.Greta is a coffeeholic and cannot survive a day without 5 cups of coffee... and her cute, big-eared dog.Her biggest open secret: she is a gamer with a giant gaming backlog.

Greta is a Photo Editor-in-Chief at Bored Panda with a BA in Communication.In 2016, she graduated from Digital Advertising courses where she had an opportunity to meet and learn from industry professionals. In the same year, she started working at Bored Panda as a photo editor.Greta is a coffeeholic and cannot survive a day without 5 cups of coffee... and her cute, big-eared dog.Her biggest open secret: she is a gamer with a giant gaming backlog.

What do you think ?

Stacy B 2 years ago

These are my favorite reads!

12points

Holly Bee 2 years ago

Love these kinds of lists. Always something new to discover ☺️

4points

A Lad 2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

A Lad 2 years ago

this style crawled out of. Many people answering this question often say “Well, maybe they’re German.” Because Germans capitalize every noun. No no. These are English speakers. They, for some strange reason, just type in the most asinine way. I have the same issue with those who comment on my artwork. One egregious person particularly. Even after I told him not to. And this person is not German, is not an ESL. They are American. Which means they had an American education, went to an American school, and was taught American English. And in American English, we do not capitalize first letter of every single word. Not even in book titling is every word capitalized. But for some strange reason, these idiots want to go out of their way to capitalize every single word, which makes what they are typing difficult to read. And yes, typing this way is also very difficult as it requires you to hold down the shift key for the first letter of every word. This Is Not How You Type!” And

-3points

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Stacy B 2 years ago

These are my favorite reads!

12points

Holly Bee 2 years ago

Love these kinds of lists. Always something new to discover ☺️

4points

A Lad 2 years ago

This comment is hidden. Click here to view.

A Lad 2 years ago

this style crawled out of. Many people answering this question often say “Well, maybe they’re German.” Because Germans capitalize every noun. No no. These are English speakers. They, for some strange reason, just type in the most asinine way. I have the same issue with those who comment on my artwork. One egregious person particularly. Even after I told him not to. And this person is not German, is not an ESL. They are American. Which means they had an American education, went to an American school, and was taught American English. And in American English, we do not capitalize first letter of every single word. Not even in book titling is every word capitalized. But for some strange reason, these idiots want to go out of their way to capitalize every single word, which makes what they are typing difficult to read. And yes, typing this way is also very difficult as it requires you to hold down the shift key for the first letter of every word. This Is Not How You Type!” And

-3points

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