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The Twitter account 'WTF Facts' has earned itself 274.1K followers by sharing random trivia about the world. While this figure alone isn't enough to determine whether or not the content on it is high-quality, you have to admit, it's kind of impressive that a quarter of a million people want to see it.

Why did so many people sign up to see the account's posts? Well, the main reason is probably the element of surprise. From unique locations across the globe to people's wholesome acts of kindness, 'WTF Facts' touches on a wide variety of topics. So, we decided to compile some of its most popular uploads and ask you if you think the account is worth all the buzz surrounding it.

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Jules (they/them)
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

"His wife" has a name too, and it's Lélia Wanick Salgado. They're both environmentalists so they both should be recognized.

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Terry Tobias
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Elephants mourn their dead... they made this man an honorary member of the herd. This is so sweet and sad.

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Charlie B
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

In case anyone else is wondering how they knew: “After his death, although they were not alerted to the event, a group of wild elephants Anthony helped to rescue and rehabilitate travelled to his house in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. They stood around the house in an apparent vigil for two days, and then dispersed.” (CBC)

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UpupaEpops
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9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I whole heartedly recommend reading "The Elepant Whisperer", a book penned by Anthony Lawrence. It's a book about his work on his private reserve in South Africa. I couldn't put it down, had to finish it in one go.

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Emma Goransdottir
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

RIP Lawrence Anthony. You must have been a great man♥️

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Ron Man
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yeah, this is a really crazy story. Completely on their own 2 wild herds showed up at his house shortly after he passed away by heart attack. https://www.cbc.ca/strombo/news/saying-goodbye-elephants-hold-apparent-vigil-to-mourn-their-human-friend.ht

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January Tempis
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

From 12 miles away, they just knew that their friend died. There is so much more to the world than we yet understand.

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Jupiter Davis
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

everytime i see this story it always tug on my tiny heart strings

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Wilf
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

A slightly sadder interpretation is they regularly visited him until, one day nobody was there to greet them.

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Chickie
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Amazing that they knew. Such loyal and intelligent giants.

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gilded panda
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i heard about this back in 2012, i almost cried reading about it.

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Harls
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He wrote a book, it's called the elephant whisperer

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Riley Quinn
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

As much as I've read about elephants, their habits and emotions, this still blows my mind every time I read it.

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glowworm2
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This story gets me every time. They came to pay their respects to him.

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Draga Millani
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Curious about the description of "violent' and "rogue"- if they're referring to the animal being wild ummm it was just being an animal.

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Mickie Shea
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Now that's so impressive. Elephants may be much more than we think.

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ThatBlackNightingale
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This really shows the tight bond between humans and animals, we're supportive friends not enemies with nature.

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Nicola Hocking
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

i remember reading about this. its absolutely beautiful that they knew to do this. x

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Fresh Big
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

so was there a disturbance in the force that told them he died? How did they know then?

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ConservaDave
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have a whole new level of respect for elephants. And for God, who created them.

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Bermy
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Elephants are the coolest of animals. Wish they were wild in my country.

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Justin Castillo
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

https://abcnews.go.com/Health/Wellness/nc-man-allegedly-robs-bank-health-care-jail/story?id=13887040

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Kim Lorton
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Question answered….. elephants remember and apparently know things humans do not. They knew he had passed and came a long way to honor him, and show their respect, love and admiration and thanks.

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fro_st puppy
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Also a fun fact: The herd came back to the reserve again on the anniversary of his death a year later to mourn him

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Naomie Moore
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nature is amazing. And proves elephants are much smarter than mist people.

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Ruth Harper
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

this is so sweet. Animals can bond just as much as humans can. And they can mourn loss. My kitty is still mourning my dad's passing. She misses him.

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Valek Fermiga
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That's so humbling, I personally think, we, as the human race, could learn a lot from elephants....

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Lu
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Everybody dies, this man died happy ❤️

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Princess Bride
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He was actually in Europe, had a heart attack, and died. The elephants had no knowledge of this as a human would.

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fro_st puppy
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read his wifes, Francoise's book called An Elephant in My Kitchen. I highly recommend it!

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Vero SM
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

So sweet, but years before, the formerly violent, rogue elephants were destined to be shot? what? how? animals are judged like people or something?

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Zayden M.
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When they say "an elephant never forgets", they really mean it.

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Panda
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9 months ago

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John Harrison
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9 months ago

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Okay, but did the elephants learn about Lawrence when they checked their email? Or do they just have magic death detectors? And when they "stayed in silence", is that as opposed to their usual habits of rollerblading around the place while blasting hip hop music? This is comically incomplete and/or misleading.

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B.Nelson
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

He didn't show up so the elephants went to find him. Elephants are smart enough to tell what is happening most of the time. And I'm assuming it meant no fights during the time. Elephants to have morning rituals.

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Going through obscure facts isn't just temporary fun. Turns out, it can also be good for our mental health. For example, experts say that playing trivia games can provide a dopamine rush much like gambling, but without the negative effects. 

Whether we're playing Trivial Pursuit at home or attending a pub trivia night, the basic premise remains the same: we experience the thrill of providing correct answers to questions about lesser-known facts.

"You get a rush or a neuro reward signal or a dopamine burst from winning,” John Kounios, Ph.D., professor of psychology and director of the doctoral program in applied cognitive and brain sciences at Drexel University in Pennsylvania, told Healthline.

“I think whenever you’re challenged with a trivia question and you happen to know it, you get a rush. It’s sort of like gambling.”

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Johnnynatfan
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Gray story but healthcare to save someone’s life should not drain your f*****g life savings

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Kounios said the benefits can also be similar to those of playing video games.

However, Kounios stressed that trivia is generally not a problematic hobby.

“I don’t think there are any pitfalls,” he said. “Like anything else that’s fun, it takes up time.”

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Sarah Kishler, who works as a librarian in California, loves trivia games and enjoys attending a monthly pub trivia night in which a team of librarians participates.

"Learning facts so that I can get better at trivia is definitely a passion of mine," she also told Healthline. "Getting a question right is definitely very satisfying to me."

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BetterBitterButter
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When a loved one leaves the pain is insurmountable. In my opinion,this pain never leaves. This insurmountable loss and pain becomes a part of our life as we cherish the memories.

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Over the past decade, pub trivia nights that are popular in the United Kingdom appear to have grown in popularity in other parts of Europe and the United States as well.

Enthusiasts like Kishler enjoy getting to interact with people at these events, especially compared to electronic trivia games.

She has learned that doing well at these social trivia games gives her "a feeling of validation" and increases her self-esteem.

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“People really like to have some expertise on something and the brain is very good at focusing on things that you’re interested in,” Deborah Stokes, Ph.D., L.P.C., B.C.N., a psychologist in Virginia, who focuses on neurotherapy told the same outlet.

According to Stokes, learning large bodies of knowledge can often start with trivia. And people who are interested in trivia can be brainy, have a high IQ, and be smart on a lot of levels.

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Moxitron Jazz
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9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

we Aussies are ashamed. To be fair, Emu's are fukn frightening and tough buggers...

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Oh Gosh
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9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I need to know how f'd up the dude was after. So after some googling. The gorilla was intoxicated on fermented bamboo. He came at the photographer with all his weight and it felt like being hit by a train he said. He was left with a souvenir scar on his forehead. (I'm guessing from where his camera went into his face.) Then the gorilla just walked right over him and went on his way. (Super lucky he's alive imo).

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"In typical people, my observation, not backed up by any research, is that their interest in trivia is confined to topics that they are generally interested in," Kounios added.

"So if a person is very interested in history, then they may either seek out history trivia, or they might just naturally pick it up in the course of learning about nontrivial aspects of history."

Stokes also pointed out that trying to retain information about things we're interested in can be like a good exercise for the frontal cortex as the brain ages.

So if you're up for more, fire up our earlier publication on 'WTF Facts!'

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Pixie Peck
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

When I was a kid I was told by my great grandma's 2nd husband that in the late 50s early 60s him and his friends were responsible for several faked foot prints and other evidence such as howls of Big Foot in Skamania County WA. The irony of it all is that later in life he was a converted believer in Sasquatch. I've been wanting to tell this secret since I was 15.

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Hiro Lee
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And the horse said "that's it for me, no more crazy f*****g stoners for me"

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Mora Chilis
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They had questions if she was that old-like maybe her daughter took over her identity. The other fascinating thing is her lawyer went into contract with her to purchase her apartment en viager when she was 90. Basically someone makes a monthly payment until the seller’s death, when the property becomes theirs. She outlived him. And his children had to continue the payments by law until her death. Maybe karma thinking he was getting a great deal on real estate.

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️Crystal️
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This makes me feel better, it's a great reminder to check yourself for thinking in stereotypes. My IQ is close to that, and I've not made any noticeable accomplishments that would give it away. I am disabled, and feel I can never live up to the potential I had as a child. I think everyone expects that a high IQ means we've gotta be nerdy, awkward geniuses. Higher IQ does, however, increase existential depression, so please, bring on the cannabis so we can make it until tomorrow. Do not judge a book by it's cover, or even by it's reputation 💜

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Skara Brae
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I'm guessing it's already been secretly emptied and keeping it closed means nobody will look for the culprits.

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David A Paterson
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9 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

For Newton, his foray into mathematics, gravity and optics was just a temporary distraction from his real hobby, alchemy, about which he wrote a huge amount of total(?) rubbish. His paid work was as master of the British Mint.

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Moxitron Jazz
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9 months ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

what about the daughter he doesnt communicate with because she's queer?...Edit: thanks to other pandas and further research, yeh, he abandoned her before birth, because she was the result of a fling...what a fukn champ(douchepickle)

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