ADVERTISEMENT

As we move through life, we consistently gather new knowledge to grow and learn as human beings. Although there may be a few specific areas we aim to know very well, building a broader understanding of the world is just as important. It allows us to put forward exciting ideas, connect the dots, and see new patterns we would have missed otherwise. And it’s plenty of fun too!

Thankfully, with the digital world at our fingertips, exploring delicious and intriguing bits of information has never been easier. So it’s time for the newest batch of facts from the well-known corner on Reddit, the 'Today I Learned' online group. Time and again, curious 28 million members of this community exceed everyone’s expectations by passing along the cool trivia they recently found out themselves.

To celebrate infinite knowledge and the never-ending desire to learn something new, we’ve gathered some of the most captivating facts the group has shared on the page. Continue scrolling and upvote the ones you may not have known about! And if you’re in the mood to expand your mental horizons even further, check out Bored Panda’s previous pieces filled with TIL goodness here, here, and right here.

#1

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL of Mary Anning, who discovered, with her brother, the first ichthyosaur fossil at age 12. She would go on to discover many more fossils and revolutionize the science of paleontology. However, due to being a woman in the early 1800s, she rarely received full credit for her discoveries

sexpressed , jacqline Report

Add photo comments
POST
laurahenderson avatar
Laura Henderson
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

At last she has a statue in Lyme Regis, Dorset (unveiled May 21 2022, her 222nd birthday): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_Mary_Anning

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#2

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL fairy dust was not mentioned in the original version of Peter Pan, but the author added it as a neccessity to enable the children to fly because "so many children tried [to fly] from their beds and needed surgical attention."

mike_pants , Lalelu2000 Report

#3

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL; In 1846, Joesph Leidy was the first person to solve a crime using a microscope. A famer claimed the blood on his clothes was chicken blood. Joseph Leidy showed that it was not chicken blood using a microscope

A_Bruised_Reed , Ed Uthman Report

#4

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that listening to your favorite music for just 15 minutes a day lowers stress levels, anxiety, sadness and a depressed mood

Ok_Ask_733000 , visualbyfath Report

#5

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Wells Fargo was forced by the feds to rehire a whistleblower employee that reported fraud, and pay him $5.4 million in damages

filondo , Mike Mozart Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#6

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL in July of 2021 a British plane spotter noticed sparks coming off an F-15E Strike Eagle's engine after it took off from RAF Lakenheath. He called the base's switchboard to alert the base and the plane returned safely. The pilot publicly thanked him and gave him his insignia patch

Bigred2989- , Tomás Del Coro Report

#7

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL the design of a skyscraper in London was melting cars and setting buildings on fire. It’s curvilinear shape was causing the problem: The south-facing exterior wall was covered in reflective glass, and because it's concave, it focuses the sun's rays onto a small area

rigorousthinker , apviktor Report

#8

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL of Jacklyn H. Lucas. 3 years after joining the Marines at age 14, he snuck onto a ship bound for Iwo Jima, stormed the beach without a rifle and threw himself on top of 2 grenades to protect his team. He survived and earned the Medal of Honor at age 17

calvins48 , VirtKitty Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#9

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Robin Williams was offered, and accepted the role of The Joker in the 1989 film, "Batman." Warner Brothers had only made the offer to bait their first choice, Jack Nicholson, into signing on, which he eventually did. Williams was furious, and demanded an apology from the film studio

szekeres81 , Ryunosuke Kikuno Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#10

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that an FBI informant secretly wore a wire to breakfast with a city official suspected of bribery, and met the suspect at the WTC Marriott. In the middle of getting a confession, the informant ends up making what is believed to be the only uninterrupted audio recording of the Sept. 11 attack

spiritelk25 , m01229 Report

#11

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL the asteroid impact that caused the dinosaur extinction set 70% of the world's forests on fire, caused tsunamis that rose to a height of 300ft (100m), and ejected 25 trillion metric tons of debris into the atmosphere that reduced sunlight by up to 90% for a decade

vienna95 , Chris Henry Report

#12

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that the most requested funeral song in England is by Monty Python

Still-Finger1880 , BBC Report

#13

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that the British had a POW camp called Trent park during WWII. They would take axis prisoners of war and let them live in luxury, while secretly bugging the house. The program gave the allies lots of intel, such as the location of a V2 rocket facility

YEETAWAYLOL , Leonard J Matthews Report

ADVERTISEMENT
#14

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Darius McCollum, a New Yorker diagnosed with Asperger syndrome, has been arrested over 30 times for impersonating transit employees, stealing trains and buses, and driving their routes - complete with making safety announcements and passenger stops

Str33twise84 , mitchazj Report

Add photo comments
POST
the_true_opifex avatar
Katie Lutesinger
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I wonder why he doesn't just apply for a job with them? Maybe he did and they didn't hire him so he figured he'd just go along with it anyway.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#15

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL The "alarm chemical" released by bees to make the hive attack (Isopropyl Acetate) is the same favouring we use to make banana flavoured sweets, meaning bees can become hostile around those sweets

1FlawedHumanBeing , biancablah Report

#16

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that Batman's suit, arsenal of awesome gadgets, and secret identity were not created by Bob Kane. Gotham City was not even created by him. All these creations belong to Bill Finger, who died penniless while Kane did everything he could to suppress Finger’s involvement in creating the character

TheAnimatedBat , serge_k Report

#17

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL: A bonsaï tree is not a species of tree. It's just a regular tree. Bonsai is a method of growing trees which aims to create an image of a large mature tree but in miniature

Matelot_Pierrot , tegethoff Report

ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#18

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that Pythagoras of The Pythagoras Theorem was a cult leader who claimed he could speak with animals, time travel and had an extreme hatred for Fava Beans

chipsandsourcream1 , Unknown author Report

#19

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Tiger beetles run so fast they temporarily blind themselves. When moving at up to 120 body lengths per second, their environment becomes a blur as their eyes can't gather enough light to form an image

ergotpoisoning , erik_karits Report

Add photo comments
POST
ryanteoh91 avatar
Peacemaker21
Community Member
1 year ago (edited) DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh I'm burnin' through the sky 200 degrees that's why they call me Mr Farenhight I'm travelling at the speed of light I wanna make a supersonic insect out of you ~

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#20

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that the disappearance of D. B. Cooper remains the only unsolved air piracy case in commerical aviation history

DarkPhoenix94 , Leio McLaren Report

#21

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL the iconic Australian hat is bent up on one side to allow the armed forces maneuver rifles on and off their shoulders without hitting the brim

jdoreh , Donald Giannatti Report

#22

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL after basketball player Zion Williamson's foot ripped through his Nike shoe during a game, causing him to slip and sprain his knee, Nike's stock valuation dropped $1.1 Billion the next day

d1t0m6 , Danilo Capece Report

Add photo comments
POST
safsaf avatar
SAF saf
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I remember watching this. I've never seen a shoe do that...ever. They're quality control must have really gone to s**t.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
ADVERTISEMENT
See Also on Bored Panda
#23

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Arthur Wharton, born Ghana, 1865, became the 100 yard world record holder for 30 years, the world's first professional black soccer player, a cycling champion, a professional cricketer and then a professional rugby player. He died penniless in 1930 and was buried in an unmarked paupers grave

Single-Goose7015 , Kobby Mendez Report

#24

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL In 1948 Ford Motor Company was offered to take over Volkswagen for free. They turned down the offer. Volkswagen is now the second largest car manufacturer in the world

Jon_Huntsman , Mondo79 Report

Add photo comments
POST
jameskramer avatar
James016
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Porsche also tried to take over VW but botched it, VW bought Porsche as a result.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#25

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that Bermuda has no natural water source. Each house collects rainwater using white, stepped roofs

deliriz , lhooq38 Report

Add photo comments
POST
kleski-paula avatar
Pollywog
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I don't think you can get much more natural than rain as a water source..... 🤔

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#26

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Commercially produced Mayonnaise has a high enough acidity that bacteria growth associated with food-borne illnesses is slowed and the product doesn’t need to be refrigerated

LegalizeBonJovi , Sara Cervera Report

#27

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL Disney World is legally allowed to build a nuclear plant in Florida under a 1960s law

filondo , Amy Humphries Report

Add photo comments
POST
cookoobanana3 avatar
ian_smith avatar
Wandering Hammer
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I think this is no longer true. Disney 's special status and self management was revoked.

staphgirl79 avatar
Mistiekim
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Yes DeSantis just pulled it - I’m pretty sure it had something to do with his ridiculous “don’t say gay” legislation.

Load More Replies...
brendanmccarthy_1 avatar
Trophy Husband
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

That ends next June if the courts don't block the latest round of Dessntis Idiocracy. The Florida tax payers are paying off billions of Disney's debt to eliminate their special status and take control of the city they currently own. Legal experts think it won't hold up, but Disney might not fight it because it makes financial sense for them not to. That being said, Desantis should be forced to work on a chain gang for the rest of his life in the Florida sun as punishment for stealing from the Florida tax payers to fund his own ridiculous war against Disney! And beside that, Disney is literally getting the money the stole, so he shot himself in the foot!

stanflouride avatar
Stannous Flouride
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The recent efforts by Deathsantis and his cult to alter their autonomy to punish them because they treated non-CIS workers and guests with respect suggests this is part of that original agreement. (The fact that it would have cost the surrounding area $22,000,000 a year just to pay off the area's debts didn't seem to matter to these so-called 'fiscal conservatives.') When Epcot/Disney World were being developed by Roy Disney (Walt's brother) it was intended to be a showcase for technological development and was meant to be self-sustaining and nuclear power was one of the few ways available at the time to achieve it.

kimberlybailey avatar
KimB
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I feel bad for the people in Florida that governor is nuttier than a porta-potty at a peanut festival

censorshipsucks5 avatar
censor
Community Member
1 year ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

nice. That will make Ron Insanis more grumpy. Tell him it's not just a nuclear reactor, but that its purposes is to pump out gayness and convert all floridans.

View More Replies...
View more commentsArrow down menu
#29

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL that Ford's Theatre refuses to perform the play which Abraham Lincoln was watching when he was [taken away]

GreekKnight3 , libraryofcongress Report

#30

30 New ‘Today I Learned’ Facts That Prove It’s Never Too Late To Learn Something New TIL 1941 after a meteor shower two Canadian Inuit announced they were Jesus and God and convinced people to kill their sled dogs since people will soon be able to fly. 9 people ended up losing their lives as a result of the community spread insanity

mskullcap , kreyatif Report

Note: this post originally had 53 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.