Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
then open in external browser
and click "Open in External Browser" 
Tiny Facts, Huge Shockwaves: 50 Fascinating “Today I Learned” Facts To Shift Your Perspective (New Facts)
The human brain is nothing short of extraordinary. Its estimated storage capacity ranges from 10 to 100 terabytes, though some researchers believe it could reach up to 2.5 petabytes. That means we’ve got more than enough mental real estate to keep learning, storing, and sharing the most unexpected facts.
Which is exactly why you shouldn’t shy away from adding new things to the knowledge bank. The “Today I Learned” community delivers bite-sized brilliance daily, from quirky science to behind-the-scenes tidbits you won’t believe are real. This roundup is packed with the most intriguing, bizarre, and delightfully random facts the internet has to offer.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Today I learned that Danny Devito actually directed Matilda (1996) and how incredibly kind he was to the Matilda Actress Mara Wilson and even made sure that an unfunished cut was shown to her dying Mom.
RELATED:
#2
TIL HBO didn't submit Alfie Allen (Theon), Carice van Houten (Melisandre), & Gwendoline Christie (Brienne) for Emmy consideration for their work in Game of Thrones' final season, so they each decided to pay the $225 entry fee to submit themselves. This resulted in all three receiving an acting nod.
#3
TIL in 1990 a truck driver jumped into a moat in an enclosure at the Detroit Zoo to save a chimpanzee from drowning when the chimp inexplicably jumped into the water. He said "Everyone in the whole place was just standing around watching this monkey drown", so he knew he had to do somethng about it.
When your brain is buzzing with random but brilliant facts, your first thought might be, “I could totally crush trivia night!” But let’s be honest, it’s not always that easy. Winning one takes more than just knowing a few fun facts. Trivia is equal parts memory, teamwork, and keeping your cool under pressure. It’s a game of brains, but also a bit of strategy.
The first step to getting good at trivia? Start expanding your knowledge in all directions. Don’t just stick to your favorite topics—branch out. Learn a little bit about everything: geography, music, sports, history, and pop culture. Every tidbit adds up.
#4
TIL the day after Robin Williams' s**cide was announced, the National S*****e Prevention Lifeline saw the highest number of calls in a single day in its history with 7,500 (twice the normal number).
#5
TIL a Catholic monk once wrote an angry letter to the cardinals during a 2 year papal election. Upon receiving it, they immediately chose to elect him; he tried fleeing his election but accepted under pressure. One of his only acts was to decree that popes could resign, and he did so 1 week later.
#6
TIL about Cher Ami, a WWI homing pigeon who was shot through the chest, blinded in one eye, and flying with a nearly severed leg—yet still delivered a message that saved 194 men, earned a Croix de Guerre, and now rests in the Smithsonian.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
No doubt soon to be branded a DEI hire and turfed out of the museum
To dive deeper, we spoke with Raghav Chadha, who runs Dobaraa, a popular restaurant known for its lively and competitive trivia nights. Raghav has seen both first-timers and seasoned players in action and shared some pro insights. “Trivia night is not just about knowledge,” he said with a smile. “It’s about how well you prepare and how you play as a team.”
#7
TIL Stephen King never cashed the $5,000 check that Frank Darabont paid him in 1987 for the rights to adapt his novella 'Rita Hayworth and Shawshank Redemption'. Eventually, King had the check framed and returned it to Darabont with a note that read, "In case you ever need bail money. Love, Steve."
Rhonda Espinosa 6 months ago
When we adopted our shelter dog my husband said to the volunteers "We're here to pay her bail money and spring her from the clink."
#8
TIL that Chief Seattle was kicked out of the city named after him because he was Native American
#9
TIL that on 8th May 1945 on "Victory in Europe Day", the princesses Elizabeth and Margaret secretly slipped out of Buckingham Palace to join London’s jubilant crowds. Queen Elizabeth later described this as “one of the most memorable nights of my life.”
“Usually, we go with a theme, like ‘90s Movies’ or ‘World History,’ so players can get a head start,” Raghav explained. “If you know the theme, it becomes easier to brush up beforehand. Even a quick YouTube recap can help.” That makes preparation feel more like fun than studying.
“But when we do broad-topic trivia, it’s a different ball game,” he said. “That’s when the real work kicks in.” His advice? Add audiobooks and podcasts to your daily routine. “Whether you’re commuting, cooking, or just winding down, it’s a great way to learn without even trying.” Passive learning adds up fast and you barely notice it happening.
#10
TIL that jaywalking is not illegal in the UK, and that while pedestrian crossings are plentiful, they are not compulsory to use. Ultimately, it is seen as the personal responsibility of the individual to make a sound enough judgement to cross safely.
Ace 6 months ago
That's normal in most of the world, but with some notable exceptions. It's completely incomprehensible to a Brit visiting Germany for the first time to see Germans standing at a crossing with a red man showing when there is no traffic for miles round. Yes, I was one such Brit.
#11
TIL after Post Malone found out that other patrons at the Houston bar he was in had covered his check, he asked the waitress to charge him for anything so he could leave a tip. The waitress then rang him up for a $1 bill, and in return, he tipped her $20,000, leaving a total of $20,001.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
Thereby setting a dangerous precedent. No doubt the option "2,000,000%" (as the default) was then added to the iPad
#12
TIL that in 1997, 24.6% of US 12th graders smoked cigarettes every single day. By 2023, that number fell to 0.7%.
“Another big tip?” he added. “Use your smart friends wisely.” Raghav recommends building a team with diverse strengths. “Someone’s great at music, another’s a science nerd, put them together and you’ve got a dream team.” Trivia is a team sport, and playing with the right people makes all the difference. Plus, it’s way more fun.
#13
TIL While filming episodes of 'The Mandalorian' the production crew realized they didn't have enough Imperial Stormtrooper uniforms so they reached out to the 501st Stormtrooper Legion, a fan cosplay group, to fill out the ranks.
#14
TIL In 2003, the All-England Lawn Tennis Club (organizers of Wimbledon) began paying $2M annually for pandemic insurance, which it did for 17 years. In 2020, Wimbledon was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the Club collected a $141M payout.
#15
TIL in the 1990 film “Pretty Woman”, Richard Gere’s car was a Lotus Esprit after both Ferrari and Porsche had refused to allow their cars to be used in a film associated with p**********n. As a result of the product placement, Lotus sales had tripled.
Like anything else, practice makes perfect. “Try playing at home or with friends before going to the real thing,” he suggested. Apps, online quizzes, and flashcard games can sharpen your reflexes. Even watching trivia shows helps. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at spotting clues and patterns in questions.
#16
TIL that in February 2025 a group of 8 beavers constructed a dam in the exact location that the Czech government had planned to build one. The initial project had been in the planning stage since 2018 and would have cost over $1.2 million.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
Maybe they should replace Elon's mob with beavers then since they have a proven track record in saving taxpayer's money
#17
TIL that in 1953, Ringo Starr developed tuberculosis and was admitted to a sanatorium, where he stayed for two years. While there, the medical staff attempted to alleviate boredom by encouraging patients to participate in the hospital band, resulting in his initial encounter with a drumset.
Marlene Ricker 6 months ago
I thank them for getting him started! The Beatles wouldn't have been the same without him!
#18
TIL that Americans work more hours a year than the Japanese
And whatever you do, read the rules. “Every venue has different trivia formats and guidelines,” Raghav warned. “Some have penalties for wrong answers, others offer steals or bonuses.” Knowing the rules can seriously help your strategy. It also keeps things smooth on game night—no surprises, just solid gameplay.
“Play to your strengths,” he said. “If sports aren’t your thing, let someone else take the lead. Don’t waste time guessing, focus on where you shine.” A good team divides roles smartly. Confidence in your own zone helps the entire group. It’s about balance, not knowing everything.
#19
TIL in 2009 an orangutan in an Australian zoo aborted an "ingenious" escape plan. She short-circuited the electric fence around her enclosure by jamming a stick into the wires connected to it & then piled up debris to climb a wall. However she sat on the fence for 30 min before voluntarily returning
#20
TIL James Strang, leader of a Mormon splinter-group, crowned himself "king" of his church on Beaver Island, Michigan for 6 years. His "reign" was so hated by the locals that he was assassinated in 1856. His killers were kept in an unlocked jail cell and fined $1.25
#21
TIL Mary Tyler Moore insisted on wearing capri pants on The Dick Van Dyke Show. Network execs were uneasy about the fit, fearing the pants were “cupping under” and too revealing of her rear. Despite initial fears, “everyone thought it was great” and the show was a huge hit.
Finally, don’t panic under pressure. “Sometimes the timer can rattle people,” Raghav shared. “Take a deep breath, talk it out with your team, and stay calm.” Most mistakes come from rushing. Slowing down just a little can make a big difference. After all, trivia’s as much about nerves as it is about knowledge.
#22
TIL The world’s largest tomato processor, The Morning Star Company, has no bosses—employees write their own job descriptions and negotiates responsibilities and compensation with peers.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
Sounds like some sort of anarcho-syndicalist commune, where people take it in turns to act as executive officer for the week.
#23
TIL that While filming his scenes, Anakin's actor would sometimes make lightsaber noises from his mouth, which caused Lucas to stop filming and tell him "Hayden, that looks really great, but I can see your mouth moving. You don't have to do that, we add the sound effects in afterward"
#24
TIL that Walt Disney, in 1947, gave permission to the University of Oregon to use Donald Duck's likeness as their mascot.
And the ultimate rule? “Have fun,” Raghav said. Whether you win or not, enjoy the game. Trivia night is about laughing at the ridiculous answers, bonding with your team, and learning something new. So grab a pen, grab a drink, and bring your best random facts. You might just walk away a trivia champ or at least with a great story.
#25
TIL Portugal fought a 13-year Colonial War to keep its African colonies long after the rest of Europe had given up theirs. Eventually the military got sick of dying in a pointless war, overthrew the dictatorship and installed a democracy
Victor Botha 6 months ago
Salazar was bad news for Portugal. Kept the country backwards and non productive compared to it's European counterparts. Took quite a bit of time to try to catch up.
#26
TIL in December 2020, GoDaddy tricked employees into thinking they had earned a bonus of $650. Employees were then told they had failed a phishing test and were required to do social engineering training. After media criticism, the company apologized to its staff, but did not offer actual bonuses.
#27
TIL in 2019 research found that women buy 62% of all new cars sold in the US, and in addition, women influence more than 85% of all car purchases.
Well, we hope these “Today I Learned” facts give you a boost for your next trivia night (or just make you sound cool at dinner). Which one made you do a double take, laugh, or immediately want to share? Let us know your favorites in the comments below, we’re all ears!
#28
TIL that Auschwitz had a brothel (Block 24) where female prisoners were forced to have s*x with selected male inmates as part of a reward system.
#29
TIL that in 2013, the first known Tinder match in Antarctica happened when two researchers—one at McMurdo Station and another camping in the Dry Valleys—swiped right on each other. They were about a 45-minute helicopter ride apart.
#30
TIL in February 1936, Pope Pius XI recieved a mesage from Hitler congratulating him on the anniversary of his coronation. Pius' response critizied Hitler's regime with such force that Germany's foreign secretary tried to suppress the response, but Pius insisted that the message be given to Hitler.
FreeTheUnicorn 6 months ago
He wrote a nasty latter, but even as one of the richest monarchs in the world, clung to official neutrality, and refused to take any action beyond letters.
#31
TIL after the Titanic sank, the first ship sent to recover the dead bodies ran out of embalming supplies, so they decided to preserve only the bodies of first-class passengers by the need to visually identify wealthy men to resolve any disputes over large estates.
#32
TIL that in 1912, a boy named Bobby Dunbar went missing. Eight months later, he was found with another family who claimed that he was their son, Bruce Anderson. The Andersons didn't have the money to fight in court, so they lost custody. In 2004, DNA testing confirmed that the boy wasn’t Bobby.
#33
TIL that the Burger King chain is not allowed to use the name Burger King in Mattoon, Illinois, because there is a restaurant there that already protected the name as a “state trademark” in 1959 and defended it in court against BK.
Huddo's sister 6 months ago
Not allowed to use it in Australia either for the same reason. It is called Hungry Jacks here.
#34
TIL James Brown's dying wish to fund scholarships for needy children was delayed for 15 years due to extensive infighting and legal battles over his ~$90 million estate, which was finally sold in 2021.
#35
TIL in 2015, 18-year-old Julian Hernandez learned he was listed in a database for missing children when he met with his h**h school guidance counselor to apply for college. This would lead to him discovering that his dad had kidnapped him from his mom when he was 5. His dad was sentenced to 4 years.
#36
TIL the White Star Line sent grieving Titanic families a bill—demanding a £20 “deposit” (≈£2,100 today) to ship their loved one’s body home, and saying that if they couldn’t pay, the company would simply bury the corpse in Halifax and mail them a photo of the grave.
Kim Kermes 6 months ago
They also sent bills to the families of the orchestra for their uniforms, as they were only were only contractors.
#37
TIL the actor with the most on-screen kills is Samuel L. Jackson with 1,734. Completing the Top 5 are: Milla Jovovich (1,299), Jet Li (1,076), Dolph Lundgren (940), and Arnold Schwarzenegger (842).
Rick Seiden 6 months ago
This must be individual kills, because Mark Hamill blew up the Death Star, killing far more than 1700 people.
#38
TIL fast food restaurants frequently use Columbus Ohio to test out new products because the demographics of the city closely resemble those of the country as a whole
#39
TIL in 2014 Anna Nicole Smith's estate failed in its final bid to obtain $44m from the estate of J. Howard Marshall whom Smith had married when he was 89 & she was 26. The oil tycoon died the next year & left his $1.6b estate to his son & nothing to Smith despite her claim he had promised her $300m.
#40
TIL that Richard Nixon’s infamous “I am not a crook” line was not made in reference to the Watergate scandal, but rather to a separate allegation that he had committed tax fraud.
#41
TIL Alfred Hitchcock was jailed at the age of 6 because his father sent him to a police station with a note attached to his clothes requesting the jailing after Alfred committed some childish misdeed.
#42
TIL that Buzz Aldrin was known among his fellow astronauts to be very difficult to work with, to the point that Neil Armstrong was offered the chance to replace Aldrin with someone else for the Apollo 11 Moon landing. Armstrong thought it over for a day before choosing to stick with Aldrin.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
If I was Buzz I would have been worried that Neil would have taken off and left me on the moon
#43
TIL When musician Prince died, he left behind a vault containing nearly 8,000 unreleased songs but he had forgotten the combination. Measuring 6 1/2 feet tall, several feet wide, and weighing 6,000 pounds, the massive vault required a professional safecracker to break into it
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
Even if he remembered the combination he still wasn't in the position to tell you what it was
#44
TIL that, after he killed Julius Caesar, Brutus issued coins to celebrate the assassination, which featured a bust of Brutus himself on one side and two daggers on the other
kzys59pcrp 6 months ago
I would buy coins like this if something like this happened to a certain leader today
#45
TIL voice actor Casey Kasem known for voicing Shaggy from Scooby Doo quit the Transformers cartoon project because it depicted a Saharan kingdom named "Carbombya"
️Rando Panda 6 months ago
Casey Kasem's parents were from Lebanon. Naming a Saharan kingdom "Carbombya" was directly insulting, and good on him for standing his ground.
#46
TIL the world's longest-reigning current monarch is also an absolute monarch. Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah has been ruling Brunei for 57 years. He's also the country's Prime Minister, Minister of Defence, Minister of Economy, Minister of Home Affairs, and Minister of Foreign Affairs.
Janelle Collard 6 months ago
Now *that's* a dictator! (Don't tell Cheeto - it'll give him more ideas.)
#47
TIL that when you sign a Starlink contract, you agree "that no Earth-based government has authority or sovereignty over Martian activities."
#48
TIL the whistleblower of the Olympus Scandal, aka "one of the biggest and longest-running loss-hiding arrangements in Japanese corporate history", was Olympus' own CEO, Michael Christopher Woodford. He was fired after repeatedly questioning suspicious transactions and involving external auditors.
#49
TIL that at the time of Pope Sisinnius' election, he was so weakened by gout that he was unable to feed himself with his hands. His papacy lasted just 20 days, from January 15 until his death on February 4 of 708.
#50
TIL that Pope Benedict IX was the only pope to be elected more than once. He allegedly participated in wild orgies involving sodomy and bestiality and even sold the Papacy.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
So despite his immorality and corruption he was elected again. Sounds like someone else we know
#51
TIL Taxi drivers are less likely to die from Alzheimer's disease. Having to memorize routes is hypothesized to have beneficial effects on the hippocampus, a brain structure involved in learning and memory, which degenerates in Alzheimer's disease
#52
TIL that in the US, Pringles used to call themselves “potato chips” until the FDA said they didn’t qualify as chips. In 2008, Pringles tried to argue in UK court that they were exempt from a tax on crisps (the British term for potato chips) because they weren’t crisps. They lost the case.
#53
TIL that Navajo language was used to carry top-secret messages during the Pacific campaign, WW2. Navajo, a native american language, is incredibly complex and obscure, it was thought to be impossible to decipher by the Japanese Army
Kira Okah 6 months ago (edited)
The Navajo Code Talkers delivered messages in coded Navajo, not plain Navajo. The Japanese Army quickly worked out that it was Navajo and used Navajo prisoners to try and translate it, but they didn't understand it either. Unless you knew the actual code, not just Navajo, then it was nonsense.
#54
TIL Anne Rice's birth name was Howard Allen. She became 'Anne' on her first day of school, when a nun asked her what her name was. She told the nun 'Anne' because she considered it a pretty name. Her mother, who was with her, let it go without correcting her and then legally changed her name in 1947
#55
TIL that the teeth of the limpet, a type of sea snail, are the strongest biological material ever discovered,stronger than spider silk and able to withstand pressures of up to 5 gigapascals.
#56
TIL the Linux man command used to print “gimme gimme gimme” at 00:30 as a joke referencing the ABBA song “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)”. Added in 2011 as an Easter Egg, it went unnoticed until it broke automated tests, prompting its removal in 2017.
luci (he/fae) 6 months ago
taaaaaake me through the darkness, through the break of the dayyyyyyyy :3
#57
TIL that during a 1966 interview as a Vietnam War POW, U.S. Navy officer Jeremiah Denton blinked the word "TORTURE" in Morse code with his eyes, secretly confirming North Vietnamese abuse to American intelligence.
#58
TIL that Van Gogh only sold one painting during his lifetime and the price was 400 francs ($2.000 in today's money).
#59
TIL in 2009 a man hid a b*mb inside his a*us in an attempt to assassinate saudi prince Muhammad bin Nayef, which was described as "a novel technique". Even though he got within hand-shake distance from the prince, his body absorbed most of the blast, so Bin Nayef was only slightly injured
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
Only slightly injured but covered from head to toe in you know what
#60
TIL in 1983, an 18-year-old boy fell from Space Mountain, paralyzed from the waist down. Disneyland was found not at fault. Throughout the trial, the jury was taken to the park to experience Space Mountain, and multiple ride vehicles were brought to the courtroom to illustrate their functionality.
Kira Okah 6 months ago
An expert, who was brought in to testify that the lap bar was defective, stated on cross-examination that even if the bar were defective, gravity would still hold someone in place if they followed all given instructions. So that might have been a factor in the decision here.
#61
TIL the Secret Service was originally created in 1865 to combat counterfeiting. At that time, nearly 1/3 of currency in the U.S. was fake.
DeoManus Argentem 6 months ago
I had a friend in the secret service who said all his colleagues hated being tasked with "dignitary protection" details - they're dedicated professionals, despite potentionally having to protect both domestic and foreign dignitaries they may despise. But his background is in finance, and he said they all signed up to investigate financial crimes, not take a bullet for somebody. Weird, how most people just think of them as the president's bodyguards.
#62
TIL that in 2013, a noodle shop owner in China protested a court fine by paying 10,000 yuan in 0.1 yuan coins, delivered in 8 giant bags 18 bank staff spent a whole day counting and only got through half.
#63
TIL: Scientists are finding that problems with mitochondria contributes to autism.
#64
TIL that the ‘Age of Piracy’ only lasted around 80 years. It started in 1648 after the Treaty of Westphalia pushed European powers to hire privateers, and declined between 1714 and 1723 when the War of Spanish succession ended, Nassau was retaken, and every famous pirate had been k****d or captured.
The Scout 6 months ago
The concept of a "golden age of piracy" is kind of arbitrarily, though. Piracy had been extremely widespread earlier and sometimes been shaping history. In the 14th century pirates like Stoertebecker became famous, and even back in ancient times the Roman Empire had to fight against pirates - Caesar had once been captured by some. The ancient Greek even saw it as an honorable profession. And as early as 14th century B.C. egyptian kings went to war with the "sea people" who essentially were pirates. Piracy still is a concern in some countries today. Defining a short episode as the "Age of Piracy" is more or less based in pop culture, which heavily influenced what we think of when we hear the word "pirate".
#65
TIL The black death caused an inflation of dowries in medieval Florence which the government solved by establishing a public dowry fund: when a girl turned 5, families would deposit on the dowry bank on her behalf, which would accrue about 10% a year and would be withdrawn when she got married
#66
TIL that during World War II, JF Kennedy was originally rejected for military service because he suffered from Addison's disease and chronic back pain. He used his father's political influence to join the U.S. Navy.
#67
TIL The longest Papal Conclave in history lasted 3 years from 1268-1271 where magistrates resorted to removing the roof of the election building in an attempt to coerce the cardinals into reaching a decision
nottheactualphoto 6 months ago
El Cheesy Poof is just following the Heritage Foundation's orders.
#68
TIL: Beach towels are designed to have one side for drying off and one softer, less absorbent side for sitting on. They’re also lighter weight so they dry faster than bath towels for multiple uses in a day
#69
TIL in 2005, Sony spent over a million dollars to drop 250,000 bouncy balls off one of the steepest streets in San Francisco, breaking windows and destroying cars in the process.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
The same year as the Sony rootkit issue. They really need to sack their PR department
#70
TIL that the United States Department of Energy thought it necessary to post a list of things about the nuclear power plant in The Simpsons that doesn't reflect real life
#71
TIL that the famed painting “American Gothic” was entered into a competition at the Art Institute of Chicago. It won third place. The museum only bought the painting at the urging of a patron, and has had it ever since.
#72
TIL a programming bug caused Mazda infotainment systems to brick whenever someone tried to play the podcast, 99% Invisible, because the software recognized "% I" as an instruction and not a string
#73
TIL that a 2011 size 0 is larger than a 1970 size 6
SleepyVampire 6 months ago
True, however, size 6 was the smallest size available at the time, so it wasn't like there was a size 0 in 1970 that was smaller than anything made now.
#74
TIL In the 2000's Linda Fiorentino(MIB, Dogma actress) began dating FBI agent Mark Rosini. Claiming she was researching for a role, she got him to access and give her files related to the felony case against a Holywood fixer, which she then gave to his lawyers, intending to help him
#75
TIL there's another Y2K in 2038, Y2K38, when systems using 32-bit integers in time-sensitive/measured processes will suffer fatal errors unless updated to 64-bit.
#76
TIL TV shows love hiring twins for newborn roles. Twins double the filming time (they swap them out) and, since they’re often born premature and smaller, they look more like fresh newborns on screen, even if they’re actually a few weeks old.
#77
TIL that in 1975, after Gillette introduced a two-blade cartridge razor, Saturday Night Live aired a fake commercial for a three-blade razor. Gillette introduced one in 1998. In 2004, a satirical article in The Onion introduced a fictional five-blade razor. A real five-blade razor came out in 2006.
Stephanie Did It 6 months ago
I recently watched that SNL commercial which almost perfectly mirrored the actual 3-blade commercials. The only difference was that the SNL ad ended with the words, "because some people will believe anything."
#78
TIL the Spanish-America war ended with a mock battle in the Philippines to save Spanish honor - they didn't want to surrender to local forces who they regarded as inferior, but to white Americans
#79
TIL that Disney once tried to open a park that would allow guests to "feel what it was like to be a s***e." It was a disaster.
#80
TIL in 1982 ecological activist Chaïm Nissim fired five RPG-7 rockets into the Superphénix nuclear reactor in France as protest of its construction. He was never caught, only revealing his involvement 21 years later, calling the attack "non-violent" and "quite beautiful".
#81
TIL Canada made five $1,000,000 face value coins out of pure gold weighing 221lbs (100kg), one of which was stolen during a heist, never to be found
#82
TIL that Ethiopian Emperor Haile Selassie, who stood at 5' 2", would always travel with a pillow bearer. The bearer's job was to ensure the emperors feet would always rest on a pillow when he sat down in a chair, as they would otherwise dangle without touching the ground
Lady Eowyn 6 months ago
I'm 4'10". Unless I sit perched on the edge of a chair, my feet don't usually reach the ground. Beating you to the punch, my feet reach the ground just fine when I'm standing.
#83
TIL Apple paid U2 $100m for the exclusive right to give its 500m iTunes customers U2's album "Songs of Innocence" for free by installing it on their devices without asking. A week after release, Apple gave customers a method to remove it, as just 6.7% of the 500m had listened to at least part of it.
Lulu Waters 6 months ago
I remember that. I saw it there and wondered how those turds got there
#84
TIL that the rap vocals in Evanescence's Bring Me To Life were added in by Wind-Up Records against lead singer Amy Lee's wishes due to the rising Nu-Metal scene.
Rachel Parker 6 months ago
They added male vocals are mostly sung, some lines spoken but precisely zero are rapped.
#85
TIL that the world record in bench press is 783lbs. However, when using a specialized shirt for bench pressing, the world record reaches to 1400lbs.
Allen Packard 6 months ago
I do "raw" powerlifting. People don't understand how much equipment can affect people's "strength".
#86
TIL that although American Samoa is a territory, those born there are US nationals, not citizens. They can hold a US passport and can freely enter or live anywhere in the United State, but cannot apply flr citizenship unless they are outside of American Samoa.
#87
TIL about Carlo Acutis. A 15-yo boy who died in 2006, and canonized in 2024 becoming the first, and currently only, "gamer saint".
#88
TIL that when invited to his Harvard class of 1962 reunion, Ted Kaczynski (the Unabomber) RSVP'ed, putting his occupation as "prisoner" and his 8 life sentences as "awards".
#89
TIL that out of 20,000 people the Khmer Rouge sent to Cambodia's notorious S-21 prison, only 12 survived
#90
TIL in 1870, Italy completed its unification by defeating the Papal States, which contained Rome. Though his army was outnumbered, the Pope insisted on symbolic resistance before surrendering, resulting in ~68 deaths. Rome was captured, and the Pope’s territory was eventually reduced to Vatican City
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
So Stalin's facetious remark "How many divisions has the Pope?" really was a legitimate enquiry then
#91
TIL former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone is the sixth oldest father in human recorded history, after he conceived a child at the age of 89 in 2020.
#92
TIL Eminem used actual information about Anthony Mackie's real life in his final rap battle versus Mackie's Papa Doc in 8 Mile (2002), making fun of his actual upbringing for the scene. Mackie said Em searched him online & learned about his nice childhood which Em then used against him in the scene.
Gavin Johnson 6 months ago
The outtakes / messing about in the club are proper. There were extras there who encouraged Eminem to show them what he could do, he and a couple of the other cast members performed for them, their rap battles didn’t make it into the film obviously but they certainly prove that he’s the real deal.
#93
TIL a 2023 survey of more than 1,000 hiring managers found that nearly 40% admitted to lying to candidates in job interviews. And in most cases, it worked: 92% of the managers that admitted lying said a candidate they had lied to accepted their job offer.
#94
TIL that for the movie Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), director Tim Burton initially requested 25 gallons of artificial chocolate for the Chocolate river set. This amount gradually increased in scope, to 10,000 liters then 25,000 liters. The final amount used was 1.25 million liters.
General Anaesthesia 6 months ago
So it started at 95 liters (25 US gallons) or 114 liters (25 UK gallons).
#95
TIL that in 1976 the argentinian dictatorship kidnapped two french nuns who where helping families of dissappeared dissidents. They were held captive and thrown to the sea by plane. The dictators joke about them as being "the flying nuns" making reference to the american sitcom starring Sally Field
#96
TIL that people living near river valleys, especially the Mississippi River Valley, are often infected by a soil fungus known as Histoplasma capsalatum. Most infections are 'subclinical' and go unnoticed. Researchers found that 90% of the population of Kansas City had been infected at one time.
#97
TIL that the federal death sentence for treason in the United States has been used only twice. The first time was during the Taos Revolt of 1847. The second was during the Civil War, when William Bruce Mumford was executed for taking down the American Flag flying over the New Orleans Mint
Bartlet for world domination 6 months ago (edited)
15 insurgents from the Taos Revolt were executed for treason in 1847.
#98
TIL that Pro Wrestler Kevin Sullivan once wrote a storyline, or "Kayfabe", about his wife Nancy (ring name "Woman") leaving him for fellow wrestler Chris Benoit. The storyline would lead to a real-life affair between Chris and Nancy. The resulting marriage tragically ended in murder-suicide in 2007.
#99
TIL Emilia Clarke read the words that revealed her character Daenerys Targaryen's fate 7 times in a row thinking "What, what, what, WHAT!?" because it "comes out of f*cking nowhere." She also cried & went on a 5-hr walk that put blisters on her feet. Eventually, she stands by Dany's "Mad Queen" turn
Ahnjunwan 6 months ago
That was the worst butchering of a character i have ever seen in any series. It ruined game of thrones for me that bad, i can not watch it again. My son is 11 years old and still loves it, think you have to be a kid to oversee how badly it was ruined in the last season. He still thinks bran is a food choice for a king......REALLY??? BRAN???? A ZOMBIE???? Guess i have to leave him in the woods....
#100
TIL the US Air Force had delays awarding John Chapman a Medal of Honor in part due to US Navy SEALs blocking it. They would have to admit they left a soldier behind. When the award became inevitable, the SEALs nominated the soldier who left Chapman for the same award for the same battle.
#101
TIL that M*thamphetamine is legally prescribed to people in the USA. It's called Desoxyn.
#102
TIL that in 2002 orthopedic surgeon Dr. David Arndt left a patient on the table mid-surgery (anesthetized and with an open incision) for 35 minutes while he left the hospital to deposit his paycheck at a nearby bank in Harvard Square.
#103
TIL as of 2014, there were ~250 corpses that had been cryonically preserved. Only one cryonically preserved corpse pre-dates 1974
#104
TIL that 3-5 cups of coffee a day is associated with the lowest overall cardiovascular disease risk after controlling for other factors
#105
TIL When the 2007 APEC summit began, a prank show launched a prank to have an actor dressed as Bin Laden arrive in a fake motorcade. Despite having explicitly fake IDs and vehicle stickers, the prank had to be called off after they reached the front door of Bush's hotel without being stopped.
Tucker Cahooter 6 months ago
They were people from the (Australian) ABC Television show "The Chaser's War on Everything", well known for pulling stunts like this
#106
TIL The U.S. Supreme Court once ruled that the government could sterilize citizens who were deemed mentally unfit to procreate
#107
TIL that veggie straws are actually worse for you than most potato chips on the market.
#109
TIL that the Bible contains a second list of laws also referred to as the Ten Commandments. Scholars call it the “Ritual Decalogue” and it includes a law saying that you shouldn’t boil a young goat in its mother’s milk.
Anonymouse 6 months ago
Although, to be fair, in the New Testament, there is a case of someone sleeping with his father's wife (1 Cor 5:1), and Paul advised to not allow them to come to church, and after repenting, welcome them back (2 Cor 2:6-8). There is a strong dichotomy between Old Testament Law and New Testament Grace.
#110
TIL that to date no woman has run a 4 minute mile
#111
Today I learned 56% of Americans prioritize finances when finding a partner over love
whiterabbit 6 months ago
As they should, finances are one of the biggest reasons behind divorce. Have you ever had a partner who is on a completely different page when it comes to finances? To say it's difficult is an understatement.
#112
TIL there's a part of Florida that's only one hour ahead of a part of Oregon
Wang Zhuang 6 months ago
This is because the eastern part of Oregon is in the Mountain Time Zone and the western part of the Florida panhandle stretching past Alabama is in the Central Time Zone
#113
TIL $5.60 of each plane ticket funds the TSA
#114
TIL that the teeth of the sea snail is the strongest biological material discovered to date
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Nona Jaynes 6 months ago
TIL that Bored Panda censors so much shît that it's barely worth it anymore. I also learned BP apparently has no idea what context actually is.
Nona Jaynes 6 months ago
TIL that Bored Panda censors so much shît that it's barely worth it anymore. I also learned BP apparently has no idea what context actually is.
You May Like 60 Interesting Facts That Are Better Than Watching The News “I Didn’t Know This And Now I Feel Stupid”: 48 Pieces Of Knowledge That Were Supposed To Be Common If You’re Hungry For New Knowledge, These 50 Facts Might Satisfy Your Appetite
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Jonas Žvilius
Rugilė Žemaitytė
Related on Bored Panda
