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Educational reformer John Holt once wrote that, “Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places.” But sadly, many of us lose this child-like curiosity as we get older. We finish school or university and seem to forget that there is infinite information out in the world just waiting to be discovered, researched and shared with others!
So today, we hope you’re in the mood to channel your inner child and learn something new. That’s right, pandas, we’ve gathered another list of fascinating facts from the Today I Learned subreddit down below, so once you're finished reading, you can feel proud of yourself for learning something new. Be sure to upvote the tidbits of information you plan to pass along to a friend or family member later today, and feel free to share any more fun facts that you’ve recently learned in the comments section. Then, if your brain is hungry for even more knowledge, you can check out some of Bored Panda’s previous Today I Learned articles right here, here and here!
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#1
TIL cats were a common wedding gift among Vikings due to their association with the goddess of luck, Freyja. Men favored women who loved cats, believing that it increased the likelihood of a happy marriage.
King Joffrey 2 years ago
In my experience, a person who loves animals does make for a better partner...
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#2
TIL Steve Jobs responded to an autograph request with a signed letter stating he doesn't write autographs.
#3
TIL Ancient Greece wasn't full of pure white marble everything. The statues and ruins we see today were actually painted in all kinds of vivid colors that were just stripped bare back to their original white marble by time.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 2 years ago
The past was far more colorful than we think. I'm reminded of a joke from a Marx Bros. movie about a red dress. "But technicolor is sooooo expensive..."
As we all know, there are a wide variety of things we can do to take care of ourselves. Eat a diet rich with fruits and vegetables to make sure you get all of your nutrients in. Exercise daily to get those endorphins pumping and to build your strength. Spend time outdoors to connect with nature and breathe in some fresh air. Journal frequently to sort through your thoughts and feelings, and maintain relationships with loved ones to have a community and support system you can rely on. And never stop learning to keep your brain active.
Depending on what you do for a living and how you spend your days, you might not learn something new every single day without trying. But why shouldn’t you? A fun fact a day gives you one more thing to start conversation about with friends or family members, and constantly learning keeps our lives from becoming mundane and predictable. That’s why we love the Today I Learned subreddit here at Bored Panda. This community with over 29 million members can teach you more about millions of things you never even knew you wanted to learn about. So strap in, and enjoy this list! These small, digestible bits of information might even inspire you to further research a huge range of topics that you never even knew would captivate you.
#4
TIL that the first recorded labour strike took place in Ancient Egypt, in 1170 BCE, by tomb workers. After the grain supply was repeatedly late, workers stopped working and demanded prompt pay. Because it was the first of its kind, management did not know how to react, and largely caved to demands.
#5
TIL of Hatuey, a Taíno chieftain who, while tied to the stake by Spaniards and waiting to be burned alive, chose not to convert to Christianity in order to avoid meeting his Spanish oppressors in heaven.
#6
TIL that Japan is working on wooden satellites that can cleanly burn up without leaving debris when they re-enter the atmosphere.
TotallyNOTaFox 2 years ago (edited)
Sounds good, but how do they manage to protect the satellites against extreme heat, extreme cold and radiation without using metals?
It’s no secret that being a lifelong learner can be beneficial to various aspects of your life. So to gain some insight on why a commitment to learning is so great and how to keep up a healthy appetite for knowledge, we consulted an article that Madeline Buiano wrote for MarthaStewart.com. Madeline spoke to wellness coach, co-founder of Modern Nirvana Conference, and co-author of the Modern Nirvana Oracle Deck, Frank Elaridi, to hear why it’s so important to exercise the mind.
"Learning something new helps build new brain cells and can strengthen connections between the cells," Elaridi says. It’s a great way to keep our brains sharp and improve our concentration, memory, problem solving and lower our chances of developing dementia in the future. “We don't want our brains to become lazy, because a lazy brain can often have trouble recalling words and ideas,” Elaridi explains.
#7
TIL that the popular belief in the United States that Daylight Savings Time was enacted FOR the benefit of farmers is wrong; farmers were actually some of the strongest opponents of its implementation.
#8
TIL during his bachelor's degree, Robert Andrews Millikan was asked to teach elementary physics course although he was studying classics. He accepts the offer, studies a physics book during a summer vacation and after 34 years he wins the Nobel Prize for Physics.
Dan Bexell 2 years ago
People like this make me feel humble. I remember reading that Sir Isaac Newton was working on a physics theory, and did not have the proper mathematical framework to express it, so he invented calculus. He didn't bother to mention it to anyone until about 20 years later.
#9
TIL in 1989, many major airlines showed edited versions of the film Rain Man, omitting a scene involving a character's refusal to fly (while mentioning several prominent airliner crashes). However, the scene was shown intact on Qantas—the only airline mentioned as having planes that "never crashed."
According to Alexis Haselberger, productivity expert and creator of Alexis Haselberger Coaching and Consulting, Inc., learning new information also fulfills an innate desire that humans have. “Humans crave novelty and growth. Learning something new daily allows you to meet those needs,” she told MarthaStewart.com. When fed, this hunger for learning can help us increase our overall sense of well being, as we feel more competent and confident when we acquire new information. It’s exciting and exhilarating to learn new things. So if you’re in a slump and feeling a bit aimless, start by taking small steps like reading a new book or listening to an informative podcast. Learning about something new will get your brain stimulated, your creativity juices flowing and will likely give you the desire to be more social, as you'll want to share your new knowledge with others.
#10
TIL that potato plants are poisonous. The part that we eat is the only edible part of the whole plant. It's also a member of the nightshade family.
#11
TIL that mushrooms are more closely related to humans than to plants.
#12
TIL that in 1518, in the small French town of Strasbourg, a young woman named Frau Troffea started dancing uncontrollably in the street. Her dancing continued for days & on the 3rd day, her shoes were soaked with blood. She attracted 30+ people to join her, which catalyzed the Dancing Plague of 1518.
Satan Laughs 2 years ago
Fact check: it totally checks out! Interesting!! 2020 dance pandemic would have been better.
While it’s great to learn anything and everything we can, you’re not likely to find all topics equally interesting. For example, I can watch countless hours of documentaries about true crime events, serial killers, animal agriculture, climate change and interviews with convicted felons. But if you sit me down and ask me to watch a one-hour special on archeology, I’ll likely be asleep in the first 15 minutes. Frank Elaridi recommends that we all find topics we’re actually interested in to commit time to learning about, to ensure we’re not feeling bored or losing motivation. If we view learning as an obligation or a chore, we’re not likely to get too far. But when we find subjects that “light us up”, as Frank says, it’s amazing how much our brains can retain.
#13
TIL that when a massive star goes supernova, it produces a flash of light so bright that can equal the combined light of every other star in the galaxy. One such event happened in 1054, it was so bright the light was visible during the day for a month and was still visible for 2 years afterwards.
#14
TIL British Airways Flight 9 flew through a cloud of volcanic ash causing all four engines to stop. Captain Eric Moody told the passengers that, “We have a small problem. All four engines have stopped. We are all doing our damnedest to get them going again. I trust you are not in too much distress.”
#15
TIL About 7000 years ago, bananas were not the seedless, fleshy fruits we know today. The flesh was pitted with black seeds and nearly inedible.
Hugo Farr 2 years ago (edited)
Wild bananas (which are what is shown in the photo) are not "nearly inedible". As you can see in the photo, a significant portion of the interior consists of seeds. The seeds are edible. However, cultivated bananas were developed because it was more socially acceptable to eat the flesh rather than the seeds. Monkeys love eating the seeds. People didn’t want to eat “monkey food”.
If you’re looking to add some more learning into your daily routine, Elaridi also notes that it can be helpful to determine your preferred learning style. "Some people enjoy reading while others, like myself, learn best from experience," he explains. He also recommends trying various methods, such as listening to podcasts, reading books, watching videos, etc. to determine what you enjoy the most. “When one starts to feel monotonous, switch it up for a day then go back to your preferred method.” You can also switch up which method you choose based on the subject you’re learning about. For example, if you want to learn how to play an instrument, watching videos can only help you so much. You will need to have tangible practice if you ever want to play a song.
#16
TIL we've had electric cars since the late 1800s. Some early electric cars could go as fast as 25mph and lasted 50 miles without needing a recharge.
Peej Maybe 2 years ago
Such a shame we didn't go down the route of perfecting electric vehicles back then instead of throwing everything into oil. Imagine what electric cars would be like now...
#17
TIL 27% of Americans 18 and older have cut off contact with a family member.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 2 years ago
My grandfather went full MAGA. The whole family had to cut him off. He passed sad and alone.
#18
TIL about Shizo Kanakuri, a Japanese marathon runner. During the 1912 Olympics, he disappeared during the marathon race (he pulled out midway and silently returned to Japan). In 1967, he was offered the opportunity to complete his run. He accepted and completed it with a time of 54y8m6d5h32'20".
If you just don’t feel like there’s enough time in the day to learn something new, don’t fret. It can be overwhelming to try to add a new skill or hobby onto your 40-hour work week when you still want to have a social life, get a healthy amount of sleep, and exercise. But don’t underestimate how often you can multitask. If you’re doing chores like doing laundry, mopping, cooking or washing dishes, you can always have a podcast, Ted Talk or a language course playing in the background. When you drive to work, you can listen to audiobooks. This can teach your brain how much fun learning can be too, as you won’t associate it with sitting at a desk, but rather with hiking, running on the treadmill, taking a bike ride or any other activity you like.
#19
TIL A 50yr old inmate named James Washington confessed to murdering a Nashville woman 17 yrs ago while on his deathbed, presumably thinking he was about to die. He ended up surviving & was convicted for his confession, which he later tried to recant.
#20
TIL that Alan Turing, the mathematician renowned for his contributions to computer science and codebreaking, converted his savings into silver during WW2 and buried it, fearing German invasion. However, he was unable to break his own code describing where it was hidden, and never recovered it.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 2 years ago (edited)
He was also gay and was forced to undergo "chemical castration" because at the time homosexuality was illegal in Britain. This man is the father of modern computer theory and they abused him until he took his own life because he was gay. None of this (points to the entire internet) would be possible without Alan Turing.
#21
TIL a Dunkin' Donuts marketing campaign in South Korea released coffee aromas while their commercials played on buses and increased sales by 29%.
Have you learned something new today already? We sure hope you’re enjoying this list and that you’ll sound like a wealth of information when you go chat with your friends and family members later today. Keep upvoting the fun facts you think all of your fellow pandas would appreciate learning, and feel free to share some more fun facts in the comments section! We’re never too old, or too intelligent, to learn a few new things, so let’s share our knowledge! After all, the more we understand about the world and each other, the greater we will be able to care for one another.
#22
TIL China has just one timezone (Beijing time) that covers the whole country. In the westernmost provinces, the sun may not rise until 10am or set until midnight. The border with Afghanistan is the greatest border time change in the world.
#23
TIL some triathletes pee while riding their bike to minimize wasted time.
CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 years ago
I would think that peeing during the swimming portion would make more sense.
#24
TIL about millionaire Wellington Burt, who died in 1919 and deliberately held back his enormous fortune. His will denied any inheritance until 21 years after the death of his last surviving grandchild. The money sat in a trust for 92 years, until 12 descendants finally shared $110 million in 2011.
#25
TIL when Stalin mispronounced a word while giving a speech, all subsequent speakers felt obliged to repeat the mistaken pronunciation in order to avoid the perception that they were correcting him.
Corvus 2 years ago (edited)
Fun trivia: After Stalin gave a speech, people would keep applauding for many minutes (sometimes up to 10), simply because everyone was afraid to be the first to stop clapping (drawing Stalin's attention to yourself could be very bad for your health!). They eventually had to install electric bells to signal people when to stop applauding.
#26
TIL newborn babies shouldn’t drink plain water because it can lead to brain swelling and even death.
Panda Kicki 2 years ago (edited)
Yes, very dangerous if people are forced to save forumla by adding water, caused many deaths in poor countries whem Nestle tricks them to start, milk vanish, free sample formula runs out have to buy expensive formula. Nestle are killers.
#27
TIL about William Sitgreaves Cox a junior officer aboard the USS Chesapeake who was court martialed for leaving his command when he assisted his wounded captain below decks. Since all other senior officers were wounded, he had become the commanding officer by default, unbeknownst to him.
Lynne Hammar 2 years ago
That is fascinating...just read his Wikipedia page. Glad he was discharged and not shot!
#28
TIL Brad Pitt, while starring as Achilles in the movie Troy, ruptured his Achilles tendon on set.
#29
TIL that the state of Massachusetts tried to nullify the Vietnam War by passing a law that its citizens could not be conscripted in an undeclared war. The Supreme Court declined to hear their case.
#30
TIL that 81% of people say that email is still their primary form of communication at work.
#31
TIL since 1850, more than 5,000 people have gone over Niagara Falls, either intentionally (as stunts or suicide attempts) or accidentally but only 17 are known to have survived.
#32
TIL no child has been harmed or ki***d by poisoned or dangerous Halloween candy.
#33
TIL that in 1996 a 7-year-old Californian girl tried to fly an airplane across the US and crashed in a thunderstorm, killing her. This resulted in a law banning children from flying.
#34
TIL That the most famous pirate in history: Blackbeard, was only active for 2 years. 1716-1718.
Ray Ceeya (RayCeeYa) 2 years ago
It's almost like a life of crime and piracy in the 18th century isn't very healthy.
#35
TIL that after his legendary Motown Awards performance, in which he moonwalked for the first time and launched his career into mega-stardom, Michael Jackson was so disappointed in his performance that he went backstage and cried.
Joshua David 2 years ago
His father beat the children over and over when teaching them dance moves while in Jackson 5. That probably ingrained in him never being praised. So. He continued the tradition his father bestowed.
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CrunChewy McSandybutt 2 years ago
I remember that. After the moonwalk we were like, "wait, what just happened??"
Verbalocity 2 years ago
I was working at a local CBS station at the time, and the entire staff just froze to watch the entire live feed on the monitors.
Ed Walker 2 years ago
Do a Google / Wikipedia search on the moonwalk. It existed way before Michael made it famous.
mrsmir 2 years ago
Well that’s exactly how it works. Something has to exist before it can be made famous.
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Jessica J. 2 years ago
If wvee there was an individual that needed therapy...his childhood really messed him up. Poor guy.
Margaret Weaver 2 years ago
He may have just been crying because nobody thought to bring him any children to sleep with
Sarah Turney 2 years ago
Would have been better if he had gone back stage and shot himself. Why the f**k are you all celebrating this peado nonce
Lawrence mcalistar 2 years ago
Do you have proof ( besides the media) no just believe what someone says with out any evidence
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#36
TIL, 14-year-old Caleb Rebh accidentally choked himself to death while working as a scare actor after he had tied a noose around his neck to appear more scarier. While Caleb was struggling to untie the rope from his neck, no one helped him because they thought he was acting.
#37
TIL that the mortality rate of BBL's (Brazillian Butt Lifts) is 10 to 20 times higher than the average cosmetic procedure, and it has the highest death rate of any cosmetic procedure.
Thomas Bentley 2 years ago (edited)
I have thought that applying lead or radium face paint would be up there. or are they just talking about surgery
#38
TIL that most non-human primate infants actively use their hands to help themselves out of the birth canal. Human infants do not, but their grip strength is much higher during the hours immediately after they are born.
Nadine Debard 2 years ago
Uh oh this one is mildly disturbing. Imagine your baby crawling outside...
#39
TIL A study in the UK found that the number of CEOs of top companies with red hair was four times higher than the percentage of persons with red hair in the general population.
#40
TIL Eric Clapton grew up thinking his mother was his sister, his grandmother was his mother, and his step-grandfather was his father.
What do you think ?
TheReader19 2 years ago (edited)
I have to say that the TIL posts are one of my favourites. I wish someone would do a good news post, Lord knows we need it.
John Anderson 2 years ago
I'm glad to hear there's two of us that think that way!
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Julie Ann Al buzbeba 2 years ago
TIL that I am an ABSOLUTE GENIUS because I keep solving all of the 'Internet IQ tests' in under 9-11 seconds!! YAY FOR ME!!!
TheReader19 2 years ago (edited)
I have to say that the TIL posts are one of my favourites. I wish someone would do a good news post, Lord knows we need it.
John Anderson 2 years ago
I'm glad to hear there's two of us that think that way!
Load More Replies... Julie Ann Al buzbeba 2 years ago
TIL that I am an ABSOLUTE GENIUS because I keep solving all of the 'Internet IQ tests' in under 9-11 seconds!! YAY FOR ME!!!
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