Martha Stewart once said, “If you learn something new every day, you can teach something new every day.” An excellent place to follow Miss Stewart’s advice is the subreddit r/TodayILearned. With an impressive 27.4 million members, Today I Learned (or TIL for short) is a source of infinite knowledge for curious readers. Since 2008, users have been gathering to share interesting facts they just learned about anything and everything, and we want to pass some of the knowledge along.
Whether you’re looking for conversation starters to impress your colleagues or pointless fun facts to whip out at parties, TIL is the place to be. We’ve gathered some of the most interesting facts that have recently been shared on the page, so you can definitely learn something today. And when you’re looking to continue your education even more, check out some of Bored Panda's previous TIL publications here, here, and here!
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TIL that Alan Turing (cryptographer responsible for breaking the Nazi Enigma code during World War II) was also an Olympic-level runner and he developed a new field of biology out of his fascination with daisies
Mark Twain famously said that "truth is stranger than fiction", and this subreddit seems to support that claim. Learning interesting facts is more than pure entertainment, though. Acquiring knowledge is actually like exercise for our brains. According to Health Navigator, keeping our brains active can "improve cognitive functions such as concentration, attention to detail, memory recall and problem solving", as well as reduce risk of dementia.
Harvard Health Publishing even has an article titled "Train Your Brain" encouraging readers to take up a new hobby or practice a challenging activity to keep their brains in good shape. "Eventually, your cognitive skills will wane and thinking and memory will be more challenging, so you need to build up your reserve," says Dr. John N. Morris of the Institute for Aging Research. "Embracing a new activity that also forces you to think and learn and requires ongoing practice can be one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy."
TIL about Theo van Gogh, Vincent's younger Brother, whose unfailing financial and emotional support allowed his brother to devote himself entirely to painting. He also died 6 months after his brother's suicide and today they are buried next to each other at the cemetery of Auvers-sur-Oise
TIL dogs "play sneeze" when they're feeling excited or playful. "Play sneezes" mean your dog is having a good time and indicate to other dogs that their behavior is only play
All my dogs do this, If I sneeze at them they will run to get a toy and come running back to play, it's cute as.
TIL Virgin Atlantic kept having passengers steal their popular salt and pepper shakers. Instead of removing them from the plane, they placed the words "pinched from Virgin Atlantic" at the bottom. The shakers then became dinner table conversation pieces and free advertisement
Even physical activities can help improve our cognitive abilities when combined with mental requirements. Many sports have complex rules to keep in mind and are more than simple physical exercises. Swimming, for example, is obviously a full-body workout, but it also requires mental stamina as well. Swimmers must stay mindful of their breathing techniques, stroke execution, kicks, speed and more. But if you don't consider yourself an athlete, have no fear. Creative outlets such as painting, sculpting, writing and learning a new language are also excellent ways to keep your brain active.
TIL that cats are not nocturnal or diurnal, they are crepuscular: a circadian rhythm where they are most active during dusk/dawn (low-light hours)
TIL Tommy Davidson, comedian and actor from "In Living Color," was abandoned in a pile of trash at eighteen-months-old. He was rescued and adopted by a white family
Wth 18 months!? OBVIOUSLY not saying it is EVER ok to leave a baby anywhere other than a hospital/ fire station, but jeez at 18 months, they're already walking and talking & aware enough to be scared and confused :/ I hate people sometimes
Dr. Morris states that the task itself is not as important as the commitment to it. He lists three rules of thumb to keep in mind when choosing a brain-enhancing activity. The first rule is that it must be challenging. But not everyone is required to reinvent the wheel. Dr. Morris mentions the possibility of delving deeper into an existing skill. "You don't have the challenge of learning something new," he says. "But rather the challenge of increasing your skill set and knowledge."
TIL that songwriter Joni Mitchell only released a greatest hits album, "Hits", on the condition that she released a "Misses" album to go with it
TIL “Terminal Lucidity” is the brief return of mental clarity or memory right before before death, in people who suffer from severe dementia and other neurological disorders
The next rule Dr. Morris states is that whatever task is chosen must be complex. "A complex activity not only strikes a match of excitement, but forces your brain to work on specific thought processes like problem solving and creative thinking." Don't choose anything that allows you to go on auto-pilot. Lastly, he shares a rule many of us are familiar with: practice makes perfect. "You can't improve memory if you don't work at it," says Dr. Morris. "The more time you devote to engaging your brain, the more it benefits."
TIL that the Aboriginal people of Australia have occupied the land for more than 60,000 years
While you're reading this list, remember that you're doing something good for your brain. (Perhaps this time even counts as a workout!) Don't forget to upvote your favorite interesting facts, and let us know in the comments something you recently learned!
TIL that Harry Houdini had skepticism of anything mystical and had intense anger at miracle workers, spiritualists, and mediums that preyed on vulnerable people
He was friends with Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (Sherlock Holmes author) but they had a falling out when Doyle tried to convert him to Spiritualism. Doyle was the one who took offense and never spoke to Houdini ever again. Not very brainy of the consulting detective's author.
TIL Queen Elizabeth has an official shoe-wearer who breaks in her shoes so they don't give her blisters
You'd think if anyone can afford and expect custom made, perfect fit shoes would be a queen... Not to mention if shoes need to be "broken in" , someone else's feet won't help as mucha s they have a different shape.
Can you imagine the recruitment process to assure the shoe-breaker-in-person has the same shape and features and applies the same pressure? Yuck!
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I did this once to break in my husbands hiking boots. I was sending him camping in North Carolina for a week, but he didn't know it. Fortunately we wore the same size shoe.
I break in my new hiking boots by wearing an extra pair of socks and squirting alcohol on any tight places before I wear them. It helps a lot. I once wore new, unstretched hiking boots on a trek and had blisters before the first day was over.
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Angela Kelly the queen's dressmaker and PA to be specific. My mum used to do the same thing for my gran.
Right, she did a lot more than just breaking in shoes.
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Correct me if I am wrong... but shouldn't shoes fit from the start? She can afford custom made shoes, can't she?
You are wrong. Even custom fit shoes need breaking in sometimes
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Some of my shoes ( I'm looking at you doc martens!) Never seem to break in!
This isn’t a new thing. Way back in the day (like up to the early part of the 20th Century), rich people used to pay poor people (mostly recent immigrants) to walk around in their new shoes to break them in. It may have only paid a little, but it wasn’t hard work, and you could do it while working at the sweatshop. Yeah, fun times back in the tenements (/s, of course).
Now that is a thing Queens should absolutely get. I understand that totally.
Not a big thing, my wife's great uncle used to have his son break in his new cowboy boots before he wore them. I found that out when someone commented on the new boots he was wearing and he said "no they are daddy's he always has me break in a new pair".
I don't know, maybe I'm the strange one, but I do not like anyone wearing my shoes.
And there are people in the world who don't even own one pair of shoes...
TIL in 2011 a couple from Florida turned the tables and received a judgement against Bank of America for mistakingly foreclosing the family’s home and to cover subsequent legal fees. A court issued the family a writ of execution giving them permission to seize bank assets
They are not the only ones to have turned the tides on predatory banking practices. One guy who owned his house outright was given an eviction notice, dude fought the bank in court and won. Bank ordered to pay court fees snd a fine to the home owner. After six months of attempting to get his award without success, the home owner went back to court. Judge said it was okay to seize bank assets from the local branch. Next day the home owners and sheriff went into the local branch, home owner asked to see the manager. Home owner handed the papers to the management letting the manager know he was there to collect his award signed by the courts. Manager refused to pay, home owner said, great, asked all the customers to leave and he began to assess what he would be removing from the bank. Manager had a cow, claiming the home owner had no authority, home owner turned to look at the Sheriff. Sheriff said cut a check or go home. Check cut, cashed and home owner left. I love underdog wins
TIL : Val Kilmer has lost his voice, quite literally. The only way we may hear speak again is through a computer program
Interesting. And sad. That is my worst nightmare. I love speaking so much, but somehow every time I get sick that's the first thing to go.
TIL The Mapuche of South America were one of the very tribes successfully resisting Spanish control, staying independent for over 300 years. They called the Spaniards "New Incas", because the successfully resisted the Incan Empire as well. They were only subjugated in 1883
They are still fighting though. Hopefully, In the new Constitution they will be recognised as an independent nation. Many people believe that they were never really conquered by the spanish. WALLMAPU LIBRE!
TIL, while you can go any speed on the Autobahn when indicated by signs, the recommended speed is 130 km per hour. If you are in an accident going 170 km per hour and it could have been avoided at the lesser speed, you will be automatically partially or fully faulted for the accident
And most of the Autobahn is not "as fast as you can go". There are quite a lot places where you can only go 120 or even 100. When there is a construction, it's almost always 80, unless it is 50 or 30. LOL. AND the Autobahn is NOT one very long road, but several roads. "Autobahn" is basically our word for Highway/ Freeway/ Motorway. Do you have only one Highway/ Freeway/ Motorway? I did not think so.
TIL there are at least 10 other men who left genetic legacies that rival Ghengis Khan's, and we only know the name of one of them: Giocangga, a 16th century ruler and ancestor of the Qinq Dynasty.
TIL about the Gibson Nine, an Australian aboriginal family who were still living a traditional nomadic lifestyle in the outback until 1984, when they settled in a town. The children have gone on to have successful careers as painters, although one of them later returned to the desert
Their family name is Pintupi and they are referred to as the Pintupi Nine. And what this TIL leaves out is that they had no clue that Australia had been colonised by Europeans prior to 1984 when they came across some other aboriginals - people from their own family they hadn't seen in over 30 years (due to the government "rounding up" aboriginal people in the 50s-60s). The Pintupi were just living out in the vast desert of Western Australia travelling back and forth between two lakes.
TIL in 2006, William Shatner sold a kidney stone for $25,000 to an online casino. Shatner then donated all the proceeds to charity
TIL that wearing glasses actually increases a political candidate's electoral success, despite many politicians avoiding them as they think it makes them look less attractive
TIL that 67% of all fire departments in the United States are entirely or mostly staffed by volunteers
TIL at least 33 people have died by electrocution from practicing Fractal Wood Burning
TIL in 1714 the British government offered £20K (~£2m today) to solve the longitude problem - which had cost thousands of lives due to a lack of ship positioning. John Harrison, a carpenter, took 40 years to make the perfect clock - his final version only lost 39.2 seconds over a voyage 47 days
Yeah, and once he had solved it hey prevaricated, added stupid new conditions for payment and then didn't pay him in full. Basically they were total d***s about it and sent him nuts.
TIL in the 70's and 80's, dead acidic lakes were fairly common in the US, Europe and Canada because of acid rain. The acidity in lakes killed all microbes and aquatic life, resulting in crystal clear water that allowed the lake bottom to be visible
TIL A century before Martin Luther, Jan Hus criticized the Catholic Church for selling of indulgences and church positions. Hus was invited to the Council of Constance, arrested, charged with heresy, and burned at the stake on 6 July 1415
TIL that in 2014 the state of Alabama paid $75,000 for the right to use the phrase "Sweet Home Alabama" on road signs at the state line
Hmm, could have spent the money on education, or food, or housing, but an image is just passing by at 60+ MPH.
TIL Susan Sarandon, who play a cellist named Jane in "The Witches of Eastwick", learned only after being cast that she would have to quickly learn how to play cello, and was told that she would be sued if she left the production
Jane Spofford (Susan Sarandon) plays the Dvorak cello concerto, not an easy piece for a novice cellist to play to say the least, but she nailed it.
TIL that, for 25 years, "Goodnight Moon" wasn't carried at the New York Public Library because it was hated by the children's librarian
TIL that Charles Lindbergh’s son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., was kidnapped at 20 months old. The kidnapper picked up a cash ransom for $50,000 leaving a note of the child’s location. The child was not found at the location. The child’s remains were found a month later not far from the Lindbergh’s home
Lindbergh's abduction is the reason kidnapping is a federal crime, (US).
TIL that in 1940 Hitler decided to change the name of the battle cruiser “Deutschland” to “Lützow” recognizing that the sinking of a warship was a propaganda disaster if it bore the name of its country
TIL there is another photo, taken at a different angle, of the same famous Victory Day kiss in Times Square; unlike the original, the other photograph was taken by a government photojournalist on official duty, and is thus in the public domain and not protected by copyright
TIL that before Geronimo ever learned how to properly use a rifle, he would run at armed enemies in a zig-zag pattern until he was close enough to use his knife. He claimed that the mountain spirits spoke to him and said, "You will never die in battle, nor... by gun. I will guide your arrows.”
What did Geronimo shout when he was charging towards his enemies? "MEEEEEEEEEEEE"
TIL that Outback Steakhouse was founded in Tampa, FL by four Americans who had never visited Australia. They simply saw an opportunity to ride the wave of popularity of all things Australian following the 1986 film Crocodile Dundee. Their concept was “American food and Australian fun.”
I'm an Aussie who has been. I was there for about two hours and didn't stop laughing the entire time. So tacky and terrible and hilarious.
TIL during the Titanic's sinking, Lucile Carter and her children was separated from her husband William. When she met him again on the rescue ship Carpathia, "All he said was that he had had a jolly good breakfast and that he never thought I would make it." They divorced less than two years later
TIL Blockbuster Video's attempt to enter Japan in the early '90s failed due in part to their business strategy of "Wholesome Home Entertainment" not accounting for the popularity in Japan of extreme horror films, or the fact that adult entertainment accounted for 35% of the Japanese video market
TIL about Dave Thomas, who was a mentee of Colonel Sanders, who came up with the idea for the rotating bucket sign and having the Colonel appear on TV. He later sold his stake in four of his franchises back to Sanders for $1.5 million, then went on to found a chain of restaurants called Wendy's
Dave Thomas was adopted as a child, and he started a foundation that helps people adopt children.
TIL A woman once sued herself for the wrongful death of her husband. The district court threw out the suit saying that you can't sue yourself, but the case appealed to the supreme court who ruled that you can
TIL Weezer's Number 1 hit, a cover of Toto's Africa, came to be because of a persistent 14-year old who created a Twitter account and wouldn't stop asking the band to cover the song
TIL Batman The Animated Series was drawn on black paper to make the city/atmosphere feel dark
TIL in 1940, an insurance agent sold an $800K policy on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and secretly pocketed the premium, believing the new bridge to be indestructible. The bridge collapsed spectacularly 4 months after opening, and the agent was jailed for fraud
TIL Dr. Seuss's first book "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street" was rejected by 27 publishers. He decided to destroy the book but randomly bumped into an old friend who'd just become a children's book editor, who asked to look at it and ended up publishing it
TIL Sinead O'Connor was a major inspiration for REM's Losing my Religion video. Not only was Michael Stipe so moved by Sinéad's lip syncing in Nothing Compares to U video that he finally acquiesced to lip-synching in REM music videos, but he also states that he stole his dance moves from her
TIL due to the intense heat of flying at 1350mph, the Concorde's fuselage would expand by up to 12 inches. It was painted white to help dissipate heat
TIL Global shark populations were wiped out by up to 90 per cent around 19 million years ago, even though there were no signs of sudden climatic or environmental changes
That's the same time as Iceland formed, by a series of massive undersea lava flows along the mid-Atlantic Ridge. May I tentatively suggest a connection?
TIL The infamous sound German JU-87 dive bombers made while in a dive is due to a siren installed on the plane, and not just the sound of the plane diving on a bomb run
The sirens were called Jericho Trumpets https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jericho-Trompete
TIL that buildings so big they "need their own ZIP code" are very much real, however this is not due to the actual size of the buildings themselves, rather it's the sheer volume of mail they receive. One example is the Walmart Headquarters, which has a unique ZIP code of 72716
If a company or government institution recieves a large amount of mail on a regular basis in Germany it can have its own ZIP code (since the change to 5-digit ZIP-Codes in 1993). There are over 3,000 of those ZIP codes today (i.e. every larger company, every bank, etc. has one of those).
TIL that in 2019, a Windows XP computer infected with six types of malware was sold at an art auction for 1.3 million dollars
TIL Massachusetts has the lowest rate of road fatalities by population and per mile of any state
That's odd. Boston drivers were notoriously bad when I visited. My BIL inherited my dad's van he drove cross-country twice, BIL wrecked in less than a month.
TIL the founder of Safeway supermarkets was a preacher who felt that credit purchases were evil, and named his cash-only stores to promote the “safe way to shop”
TIL in 1986, divers at the wreck of the Titanic discovered there was no large gash in the hull as originally expected. Instead it is believed that the iceberg simply loosened or buckled seams in the hull of the "unsinkable" ship
TIL ginger ale was invented by apothecary Thomas Cantrell in Belfast during the 1850s. In the 1890s, Canadian John J. McLaughlin, a chemist and pharmacist, added flavor extracts to his version. And so Canada Dry was created. It became a hit in the prohibition-era US as a mixer for cocktails
Vernor's Ginger Ale was made in Detroit in 1866, long before Canada Dry. It was a popular drink mixer before prohibition. It is still in production today and is considered the oldest Ginger Ale in the USA. I think this TDL fact is missing some key points and about 26 years of Ginger Ale history.
TIL in the 1960s the US government dug a mile-deep hole in the ground and dropped a 40-kiloton atomic bomb in it, to release natural gas. It worked, but the gas was too radioactive to use, and the project was abandoned
TIL that in 1974 there were at least 5 serial killers active including the BTK Killer, John Wayne Gacy, and Ted Bundy
TIL the Oingi Boingo song Little Girls was originally banned in Canada and was named "the creepiest music video of all time" by The Independent
Fun Fact. The song was written by Danny Elfman who, among many other things, wrote the theme tune to The Simpsons.
TIL A Montana man named Jack Ass sued MTV for $10 million in 2002, claiming that the show was plagiarizing his name. Jack Ass, whose birth name was Bob Craft, changed his name in 1997 to raise awareness for drunk driving after his brother and friend both died in a car accident
TIL that after the Enron investigation ended, the company's entire email database became public domain. It has become a valuable research tool cited in over 3,000 data science papers, since access to company emails is normally bound by privacy and security restrictions
Yep, every inane thing I ever emailed was on full display like “WTF wrote Working for the Weekend?”
TIL that when the film adaptation of the Crow was in preproduction, Paramount studio execs proposed turning the movie into a musical starring Michael Jackson
TIL In 1965 the Hells Angels motorcycle gang refused to take part in an anti-Vietnam war rally in Oakland, CA and actually wrote to President Johnson offering to serve there as a "crack group of trained guerillas."
In case you were in any doubt that they are a bunch of assholes ...
TIL that you learned the things in this post. ;-)
Load More Replies... TIL that you learned the things in this post. ;-)
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