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" 
35 Fascinating Facts That People Only Learned Now And Just Had To Share With Others (New Pics)
The world is fascinating! For example, just today we found out that people all over the world drink 2.6 billion servings of Coca-Cola every day, which is like 11,000 sodas every second. In fact, we learned this from a cool Reddit group called 'Today I Learned'.
This group has a whopping 32.7 million members who share new fascinating facts they learn every day. From quirky trivia to mind-bending revelations, you might just find some interesting insights in these posts. So, step right in and start scrolling. And don't hesitate to upvote the facts that really caught your attention!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
TIL that MIT will award a Certificate in Piracy if you take archery, pistols, sailing and fencing as your required PE classes.
A B C the Third 2 years ago
One should think that a pirate's favourite letter is the R, but what shall I say, their only true love is the C.
Load More Replies...
SCamp 2 years ago
Well Robbery on the High Seas may need to be added to that to lend the qual some weight
Plebbit 2 years ago
Ye can do whatever ye be putting yer mind to, matey! No landlubber degree can keep ye from the sea!
Load More Replies...
The Mediterranean Fruit 2 years ago
I have always wanted to take archery, sailing, and fencing classes.
You might love chatting about things like your job or hobbies, but it's also important to keep adding new interesting facts to what you know. "We all know that it is important to exercise the body, but very little do we talk about the benefits of exercising the mind," says Frank Elaridi, a wellness coach, the co-founder of Modern Nirvana Conference, and co-author of the Modern Nirvana Oracle Deck.
RELATED:
#2
TIL in 1993 a fan at a Chicago Bulls game won a shot to make a basket from half court for $1million and made it. The insurance company disqualified him because he played bball in college but the team paid him themselves and years later he met Michael Jordan who told him "we made them give it to you"
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
....But it was on "Sex sent me to the ER!" Still disqualified?
Load More Replies... Billy Harrelson 2 years ago
I remember that shot. And it wasn't half court, it was from the opposite side of the court inside the key (the rectangular area that's usually painted a different color from the rest of the court). ESPN called it a three-quarter court shot. Everyone and myself was trying to do it at school after that until the gym teachers made us stop when we almost took out a few lights.
Tim 2 years ago
That's called the lane. The key is the semi circle between the foul line and the three point arc.
Load More Replies...
Binky Melnik 2 years ago
Wow! I’m not into basketball even a little bit, but that last sentence made my heart swell. That is SO cool I can hardly stand it! Can you imagine being able to tell people that “Michael Jordan stood up for me”?
Cuppa tea? 2 years ago
Still I would like to see how many attempts it will take pro to do that.
#3
TIL Svalbard, Norway is the only visa-free zone in the world. Regardless of citizenship, anyone can live and work there indefinitely.
B-b-bird 2 years ago
Average summer temperatures on Svalbard range from 3 to 7 °C (37.4 to 44.6 °F) in July, and winter temperatures from −13 to −20 °C (8.6 to −4.0 °F) in January. Its an island near to Arctic pole.
WindySwede 2 years ago
The amout of darkness is also staggering. No daylights from 27 okt - 15 feb! 😧 Though must be nice during summer. https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@7521757
Load More Replies...
Michel De Ruyck 2 years ago
And it is where the Global Seed Vault is located that holds all currently known seeds of the world.
WindySwede 2 years ago
that is from afar. living in compleete darkned, no daylight from 27 okt - 15 feb. 😑 https://www.timeanddate.com/sun/@7521757
Load More Replies...
Jayne 2 years ago
From Reddit: "In reality, anyone can apply. The Norwegian government still has to accept the application, and there are conditions, like a requirement to be able to affort residency on the Island, which means that you'll have to find a job on the Island before moving there. Essentialy, you go there because you're either a freelance wildlife photographer, a researcher, a rich person looking for a change, or a crazy person who wants to cut off from the world and work as a waiter or bus boy in the North Pole. For a lot of people, its just a temporary experience and they stay there for a few months during the tourist season."
OhnoI’vebeencensored 2 years ago
But the houses are painted like skittles! Good if you like polar bears too.
Load More Replies...
STress (I/me) 2 years ago
Also, this is the only zone in the world where you are legally forbidden to drop dead.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 2 years ago (edited)
What if I do drop dead? What are they gonna do, give me death penalty?
Load More Replies...
Jo Jones 2 years ago
If you have tik tok, look up Cecilia Blomdahl, she lives there and shares her day to day life in Svalbard videos. Quite interesting, plus she has the cutest doggo
OneHappyPuppy 2 years ago
You are also required to have a shotgun on you at all times when leaving the city, in case you run into a polar bear, and chances are, you will. I watched a documentary about Svalbard
Cuppa tea? 2 years ago
Watch Cecilia on YouTube - she's posting weekly videos about life in Svalbard.
Continuous learning is when you keep on learning and gaining skills to grow and open up more chances for yourself. It's about your personal and professional growth to avoid standing still and reach your highest potential.
#4
TIL that the bees of the British Royal Family were informed of the Queen’s death and their hives were adorned with black ribbons, following old traditions of informing bees about change of ownership
WindySwede 2 years ago (edited)
miss bee? all workers are females. The drones ("male", they just have one set of genes - sortof) that are still around (the virgins) just eat honey until they are slaughtered at autumn (at least how it is here in Sweden, don't know if it's any different season elsewhere). 🙂
Load More Replies...
Premislaus de Colo 2 years ago
It's an international tradition of informing the bees that their owner has passed away
Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago
I didn't know that and find it really charming
Load More Replies...
April Morris 2 years ago
Hence the book title, "Go Tell The Bees That I Am Gone" by Diana Gabaldon.
third molar 2 years ago
British Royal: our queen died Bee: oh sorry to hear that. You found your new queen yet? British: we have a new king Bee: what the hell is a King?
Otto Katz 2 years ago
It's an island. All island countries are weird. Look at Japan. And we love to learn about your weirdnesses.
Load More Replies...
I heart Boo-BI-es 2 years ago
I was going to add a comment about the birds and the bees but you bee-t me to it
Load More Replies...
David 2 years ago (edited)
I am amazed at how many outdated superstitious BS things the British monarchy follows. They went into a lot of detail leading up to the recent coronation and a lot of the little things were rather bizarre. All the places they source the sacred oil they anoint his head with and this and that little detail that seemed intended to appease the beliefs of some tribe that was a territory way back when and so on. Basically all the mystical BS to justify someone being the leader who was not voted in by the people.
cerinamroth 2 years ago
I basically agree with your post... but all traditional beekeepers do this. It's also an international thing, not just in the UK.
Load More Replies...
Mario Strada 2 years ago
i WANT TO KNOW HOW THE Bees reacted though. They have a black band built in so they are always ready to mourn.
#5
TIL the first telephone switchboard operators were boys, but their "rude and abusive" behavior led them to be replaced by young women.
Tambot 2 years ago
My grandma, now 91 was an operator for BC telephone company (British Columbia Canada) back in the 50's... she has lots of stories to tell... interesting job for young people back then.
Jessica Shookhoff 2 years ago
Oh, that's so awesome! If you have the time and inclination, you should write/record some.
Load More Replies...
Chewie Baron 2 years ago
They would get drunk, start fights with each other, tell callers to, and I quote, “fúck off!”, refuse to connect callers and other such indiscretions. I would have loved to have been a caller to them at the time!
Mark Howard 2 years ago
That's interesting - it's almost like an early version of internet behaviour - the people they were abusing weren't physically present so they felt they could say what they liked.
Load More Replies... Hippopotamuses 2 years ago
I can imagine the terror of letting a group of teenaged boys loose at a telephone exchange.
Goose of the Ahonkalypse 2 years ago
My teenage neighbor playing Fortnite with his mic on was bad enough.
Load More Replies...
detective miller's hat 2 years ago
My mother used to bring me to work to operate the switchboard when their receptionist was out. This was the 90s so much more advanced than the original switchboards, but still wild when I think about how that doesn't really exist anymore.
Lene 2 years ago
My grandma wad a switchboard operator in the countryside on Funen, Denmark when she was young and, I assume, until they stopped this profession. When she was in her 80s she, my dad, his wife and I went to a museum about electricity and its uses. At this museum there was a switchboard and my grandma sat down to show me how it worked and she worked that board as if it's the only thing she ever did in her life. I love that memory of her. And I miss her so much. 😥
#6
TIL in ancient Egypt, under the decree of Ptolemy II, all ships visiting the city were obliged to surrender their books to the library of Alexandria and be copied. The original would be kept in the library and the copy given back to the owner.
Kira Okah 2 years ago
1. It didn't burn. 2. Roman law required all libraries make copies of all inventory and distribute them across all Imperial libraries. 3. When the library shut due to declining patrons sometime in 200AD, it's contents were distributed among the other libraries in the Empire.
Load More Replies...
DC 2 years ago
I'd be mad at them! They can copy all they want, but THEY are to keep the copies. It's rude and entitled to hand back a copy and keep the original and would certainly lead to ships avoiding that place. My ships wouldn't go there, unless we were up to steal the library...
Xenon 2 years ago
I guess it would depend on how precious the books were to the captain of the ship.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
Honestly that seems pretty F'd up. If their copying skills were any good then they should be okay with keeping the copy they made. It probably also limited what books people brought into port. If it was something they treasured or it was super long they were probably like - nope - not taking that one with me to that port.
Bob La Capra 2 years ago
Unlike the Knights Who Say Ni who refused to allow passage through their forest unless appeased through the gift of a shrubbery.
Pandapoo 2 years ago
I occasionally blurt out “We are the Knights who say Ni!” just randomly.
Load More Replies...
Kira Okah 2 years ago
No it didn't. It shut down around 270AD due to declining patronage.
Load More Replies...
Jonny Chevalier 2 years ago
Christians burnt it I believe... god forbid his ministers valued the truth
Laura Williams 2 years ago
Okay knowledge is best thing in this world but you do not take my books unless you want to die.
Pamela Christie 2 years ago
"Where you from?" "Agra. But I've lived here for the last 52 years. I'm so homesick it isn't even funny." "Why not go home, then?" "Because my idiot of a cabin boy brought along a copy of the Mahabharata. They won't let me leave til it's translated." "Bummer. How far along have they got?" " As of this morning, they'd finished 258,739 words." "That's great! They must be almost done! What's the total word count for the Mahabharata?" "1.8 million."
Today, ongoing learning plays an essential role in developing crucial critical thinking abilities and exploring methods of engaging with people from diverse cultures. The idea of not engaging in perpetual learning is not understandable.
#7
TIL that anxiety and depression can cause physical pain
B-b-bird 2 years ago
Headache, disorientation, hand tremors, muscle weakness, memory loss, dissociation, and many more... :( Healing mentally should become same norm as healing ones body. Sadly in many cultures it's still frown upon.
PolymathNecromancer 2 years ago
I don't, only because those who don't know this are the ones who make it infinitely harder for us at times
Load More Replies...
Robert Benson 2 years ago
And chronic pain can lead to depression and anxiety. Which then gives you a wonderful feedback loop.
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
My spouse has never felt physical heartache, which blows my mind. My heart literally hurts when I’m very sad.
Lex <3 (they/them) 2 years ago (edited)
Yes, it can. In fact, I just finished telling my dad that I had a headache because of my anxiety. He mocked/screamed at me for 5 min and told me to grow up :)
Tamra 2 years ago
I'm sorry, Lex. I hope you can find someone to talk to who will truly listen and value what you're saying. And you're right, of course... anxiety can absolutely cause headaches.
Load More Replies...
#8
TIL Abraham Lincoln was kicked in the head by a horse at age 9, almost severed a thumb with an axe, got frostbite on his feet, clubbed on the head during a robbery, had malaria and smallpox, and experienced the death of his mother, sister, and 2 sons. He suffered from melancholy(clinical depression)
Mimi La Souris 2 years ago
no, stay, you're right, i see a documentary about it. ... ok, i hold the door
Load More Replies...
Libstak 2 years ago
Who in this world lives without losing multiple.e loved ones?
Load More Replies... Christian Golden 2 years ago
Dude was bad luck! And his son, Robert Todd, was at or near THREE presidential assassinations. Writer Sara Vowell named him, "Jinxy McDeath."
Brittany 2 years ago
"Jinxy McDeath" 🤣 That's very cruel and very hilarious.
Load More Replies...
UKGrandad 2 years ago
"That aside, Mrs. Lincoln, what did you think of the play"?
Load More Replies...
DarkViolet 2 years ago
It is believed that if he hadn't been assassinated, he would have been dead in six months anyway.
Load More Replies...
Binky Melnik 2 years ago
Sounds as if the Fates had it in for him! Maybe he’s related to Rasputin somewhere along the line.
Delta Dawn 2 years ago
ok sure but remember that one time Biden’s kitchen caught on fire for like 20 min?
Xenon 2 years ago
I know... it was so traumatic, he can feel the pain of the people of Mauii.
Load More Replies... #9
TIL that in 1999, Sergio Motsoeneng ran part of the Comrades Marathon, then went into a mobile toilet to switch places with his twin brother. They won 9th place and the equivalent of about $500, but got caught when a newspaper published photos of them wearing their watches on opposite wrists.
Marcellus II 2 years ago
That's the smart, hard-to-detect cheating. If you cheat in first place you're usually found out.
Load More Replies...
Andrew 2 years ago
The Comrades Marathon is an Ultra Marathon run between Durban and Pietermaritzburg in South Africa. It is approximately 90 Kms or 55ish miles Aka greater than two whole marathons. A massive undertaking even if you only running half of it. I am not defending them just adding context to the story.
As Greek philosopher Heraclitus famously expressed, "The only thing that is constant is change." Whether it's changes in your profession, shifts in your personal life, or transformations within your community and institutions, one of the best strategies for effectively managing change is through lifelong learning.
#10
TIL: The amount of abs you can attain is purely determined by genetics. While 6 packs are the most common, some bodybuilders such as Schwarzenegger can only attain a 4 pack. This is due to humans being born with different amounts of fascia bands. The most you can have is a 10 pack, which is rare.
KJ 2 years ago
Ah so it is because of genetics that I have only one 'ab' that happens to look like a gut!
Ranger Kanootsen 2 years ago
I'm a skinny lad, so does my ribcage count??
Load More Replies...
Terran 2 years ago
Yeah, why go for a six pack when you can have a whole keg.
Load More Replies...
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago (edited)
I'm athletic and work out almost everyday. I have a six pack-- it is just covered by another layer of protective pudge because I also adore a good meal.
Mimi La Souris 2 years ago
10 packs abs : nope for me, i just "gogole" it, looks like some insects nets, or strange bakery.
Isabelle Lamarque 2 years ago
Same! Just googled it and it does look like some insects belly 😅
Load More Replies...
Pedro Panda 2 years ago
4 middleeuropeans beers (german, belgian, czech aka the good stuff) equals 6 us american beers...arnold grow up with middle european beer
Mark Fuller 2 years ago
Ah. Interesting indeed. Makes me think that some pics I thought were badly photoshopped may indeed be real...
#11
TIL In 2003, two men stole & flew a Boeing 727-223 parked at the Luanda International Airport (in Angola) and neither of them was qualified to fly the plane. The plane & the men are missing to date.
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
Which only goes to prove my late Father's maxim that ' flying is not dangerous, taking off and landing on the other hand are a tad scary'. My Dad flew in many aircraft over his 30 + years in the RAF, starting with Flying Boats (which he deemed to be the safest aircraft ever to have been invented as they could at least land on water if things went tits up), up to Concord. Refused to take a parachute with him on any flight and wouldn't take a commercial flight unless the pilot had served in the military. I miss my Dad sometimes even though he was a cranky nutcase.
Load More Replies...
Mike Fitzpatrick 2 years ago
And THAT, girls and boys, is why you always lock your doors and take your keys?
Nina 2 years ago
It's still impressive they actually flew the plane. Wouldn't surprise me if they ran out of fuel at some point and crashed because of that, won't find that in the ocean
Verena 2 years ago
Getting a plane into air is the most easy part of the whole operation. Accelerate to 240km/h and pull the steering wheel back. Keep it flying in friendly weather is not too difficult, either. But driving it on the ground needs some knowledge and skills, and landing it without training or at least a very experienced person telling you what to do, is next to impossible.
Load More Replies...
Trish 2 years ago (edited)
Someone will stumble upon the wreckage a hundred years from now, and BP will have an article about it.
bottomless.abyss.of.bordem 2 years ago
Claiming it's the Wright Brothers with the first plane they made
Load More Replies... detective miller's hat 2 years ago
This is one of those unsolved mysteries that bothers me every time I read about it. I WANT TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENED.
John L 2 years ago
I'm sorry, but the last sentence added to this story, makes it humorous....
hesse böös 2 years ago
I bursted laugh and slapped hand quickly on my mouth. But I think the situation when they realized: "Hey, how about landing? You said you can make it". "Me? You told me YOU can handle it".
Load More Replies...
Jrog 2 years ago
Some context on the story. Leading theory is insurance fraud or an hijacking gone wrong. The pilot did not have formal certification but had expertise in 727s, and was employed to recovery the jet after the lease operator defaulted payments to the lease owner and the airport. https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/news/pilot-talk/what-happened-disappearing-boeing-727/
#12
TIL Samsung created a butt shaped robot that sits on their phones to test their durability. The robot exerts 220 pounds of pressure on their phones during testing. The robot even wears jeans.
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
Imagine being able to write on your resume that you helped design and program a butt shaped robot.
Heather Menard 2 years ago
It should be put in the back pocket and gauge the pressure from there
Instead of overwhelming your mind with a load of information in one go, consider taking it easy and aiming to learn something new every day. Learning something new every day can help keep your brain sharp as you get older. It improves your memory, focus, and problem-solving, and might even lower the risk of dementia, says Elaridi. Keeping your brain active is crucial since a lazy brain can struggle to remember words and ideas.
#13
TIL A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus. It rotates incredibly slowly on its axis, taking about 243 Earth days, while it completes an orbit around the Sun in around 225 Earth days.
Tucker Cahooter 2 years ago
Must be very hard for Venusians to tell if their watch has stopped or not
Stardust she/her 2 years ago
Venus rotates East to West and it used to be like earth a few billion years ago
Delta Dawn 2 years ago (edited)
The main reason we know that we orbit the sun is due to the tilt of the earth and resulting seasons. On planets with no tilt, hypothetical inhabitants would likely not reckon time in years at all, just an endless succession of days.
RosenCranzLives 2 years ago
Since its discovery, Pluto has not yet completed a single Solar orbit.
#14
TIL Breaking Bad creator Vince Gilligan had to ask fans to stop recreating a scene from the show where a pissed off Bryan Cranston throws a pizza on his roof, because the real life owner of the house was sick and tired of this happening.
Rinoboyrich 2 years ago
The house owner should charge everyone $50 to throw a pizza up onto his roof. It’s a weird way to make a living, but times are tough!
irissii (she/them) 2 years ago
i'm sure lots of people would pay for that
Load More Replies...
hwatinternation 2 years ago
Bizarre that people would think they're entitled to do what they want with a place they don't own simply because they saw it in a movie or a show.
The Chocolate Gecko 2 years ago
I've seen photos of the house, it's awful. Fences and signs everywhere, the owner always out on the porch, refusing to move to a different house because her family loves there. So sad.
Glenn Cuneo 2 years ago
Drove pastthe house last year-- it's as described. Islowed down, but didn't take any photos. The car wash? It's about a mile away. It's pretty damn big. The building where Microsoft was founded? about half a mile from the car wash.
Load More Replies... DC 2 years ago
Bryan Cranston is one of my favourite actors of the last 20+ years. How he played Hal in Malcolm in the Middle makes me laugh out loud every time he gets into one of those rages, ... totally nuts, that guy must be fun to work with, and ... well ... he knows how to act, he's been the highlight of that show to me even when I was around his TV-sons' ages. He and Dewey really make the show! Breaking Bad, I haven't watched yet, but plan to since years. I shouldn't wait another 10 years...
Sven Grammersdorf 2 years ago
You seriously need to start watching Breaking Bad like tomorrow
Load More Replies...
Celtic Pirate Queen 2 years ago
People are such ignorant a******s. "The Brady Bunch" house in North Hollywood is for sale AGAIN ($5.5 m). People just won't leave the owners alone, going so far as to ask for a tour, can they take photos in the backyard, etc. NO - get the f*ck off my lawn.
hesse böös 2 years ago (edited)
Never mind the pizza but is car on right Jeep Cherokee or -Wagoneer? I really like to have both of them. ( sorry, I really DO mind throwing food)
#15
TIL ancient Greeks would irrigate battle wounds with vinegar and honey and then use spiderwebs to keep the honey in the wound
DC 2 years ago
They also used just spiders' webs, but those of certain kinds of spiders, whose webs are coated with antibacterial agents that, also, prevent the spiders from some sickeries other spiders can develope.
Sean 2 years ago
I think that ended up being disproven in 2021 :( I was sad too, as I keep a whole bunch of spiders.
Load More Replies...
RandomEpiBioPerson 2 years ago
Even today, due to the antibacterial properties of honey, and it being a bit more resistant to water than dissolving stitches, some animal rescue places will use honey instead of stitches after repairing a wound on an aquatic animal.
Suutashi 2 years ago
Hospitals do the same thing. Medical grade honey is used in, I believe, hospital burn units to this day. The fact that honey doesn't really have a shelf life is also pretty amazing.
Load More Replies...
Red PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
How’d get all the spiderwebs? Sounds like something straight out of warrior cats lmao
Russell Bowman 2 years ago
And, do not forget maggot therapy for large wounds ... matter of fact ... in 2004 the USDA approved maggot therapy. anyone wanna give it a try?
Xenon 2 years ago
Well, they're pretty handy at cleaning wounds. Only eat the dead flesh. Promotes healing. Leeches are also handy to maintain blood flow to wounds. I had a bad burn once I kept honey on, healed quickly with no scar. My skin tasted sweets for months after.
Load More Replies... Delta Dawn 2 years ago
sometimes they’d run out of honey and add vinegar and baking soda to the wound, resulting in the invention of the science fair volcano 🌋
Learning something new regularly keeps your brain sharp and alert. It also fulfills your natural craving for novelty and growth, says Alexis Haselberger, a productivity expert. This daily learning boosts confidence, helps you connect with others, and makes you feel better overall.
#16
TIL: In 1562, Spanish bishop Diego de Landa burned 27 Mayan manuscripts in front of the Maya people of Maní, Yucatan. This was an attempt to erase their memories of their Gods and beliefs so that they were more easily coerced into converting to Catholicism. Today, only four Mayan manuscripts exist.
Argle Bargle 2 years ago
"Our God is a god of peace and compassion. Let us demonstrate by destroying your books."
Load More Replies...
Mario Strada 2 years ago
In 2023 there are people all across America that still want to burn books. The more things change...
CaptainDinosaur 2 years ago
He was also a fan of "hoisting" to draw confession of sins from the heathens. He even went to trial over his methods. De Landa, in my estimation, was one of those true zealots and less of a cynical pirate like many of his contemporaries.
WindySwede 2 years ago
genuine question, what is a manuscript in this context? Their holy texts?
Bob Brooce 2 years ago
Why didn't they return the favor by burning Spanish bishop Diego de Landa?
Daggie_style 2 years ago
Sounds like a very Christian thing to do... I'm only half serious. The other half is sarcasm.
#17
TIL the youngest person to ever be diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease was only 19 years old, with initial symptoms beginning at 17.
Cheryl Tber 2 years ago
Just saw a news story about a toddler with Alzheimer's. Absolutely devastating. I feel such sorrow for that family.
Xenia Harley 2 years ago
I think the original doctor who first diagnosed it as a disease, Dr. Alzheimer, studied his patients who were in their 30-40's. In other words, early onset. Only later doctors realized it was the same disease afflicting older people. Now, it's more associated with old age, but it does sometimes affect people in their 30's and 40's. (I knew of someone in their late 30's who was diagnosed. Was in a nursing home by his mid-40's.)
Binky Melnik 2 years ago
See if you can google up the family in Brazil where nearly all of them have it, many starting VERY early. If memory serves, it’s thanks to them we know as much as we do about the disease. How terrifying!
Roxie Carter 2 years ago
Please look up Sanfilippo syndrome. It is essentially dementia that affects young children. It is heartbreaking. https://curesanfilippofoundation.org/what-is-sanfilippo/
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
That is heartbreaking. Wouldn't that be juvenile ceroid lipofuscinose which is essentially childhood dementia which is absolutely devastating.
Laura Williams 2 years ago
I wonder why . When they explain it now all they know is not enough.
DetongLhamo 2 years ago
Recently I’ve read about cases of much younger sufferers of dementia, as in under 10 years old.
#18
TIL in 1642, the people of New Haven, Connecticut were horrified by the birth of a "monstrous" pig with one eye. They became convinced that George Spencer, a local man with one eye, had sex with a pig and was the biological father. He was found guilty of bestiality and executed by hanging.
Caffeinated Hedgehog 2 years ago
How about pigs born with two eyes then? Is everyone there guilty of b********y?
Ed Brandon 2 years ago
Well the USA was founded by the most closed-minded and neurotic England had to offer, the people who wanted more religious intolerance and fear.
Ren Karlej 2 years ago
Yes and no... Colonists came from European kingdoms that had highly developed military, naval, governmental, and entrepreneurial capabilities. The Spanish and Portuguese centuries-old experience of conquest and colonization during the Reconquista, coupled with new oceanic ship navigation skills, provided the tools, ability, and desire to colonize the New World. England, France, and the Netherlands had also started colonies in the West Indies and North America. They had the ability to build ocean-worthy ships but did not have as strong a history of colonization in foreign lands as did Portugal and Spain.
Load More Replies...
Hippopotamuses 2 years ago
... and the mother/sow? presumably, she was spit roasted at the stake.
Binky Melnik 2 years ago
Imagine having to tell people you were killed because people believed you had sex with a pig. How embarrassing!
Learning doesn't have to be a chore. Have fun with it by choosing topics you like. Wellness coach Elaridi says to go for something that excites you, not just what you think you should learn. If you're not into a topic, you'll probably get distracted or lose interest. So, pick what you're passionate about.
#19
TIL that Irving Berlin is the only Academy Award winner in history who presented the award to themselves. He won for writing ‘White Christmas’, and declared that opening the envelope was extremely awkward. The rules were then changed to prevent this ever happening again.
fifi.x 2 years ago
That's so cool! My school just finished a production of White Christmas, funnily enough. It was fantastic and I highly recommend watching the stage version or movie to anyone that hasn't seen it!
Billy Harrelson 2 years ago
You should watch Holiday Inn as well, the movie that debuted White Christmas. Just ignore the song about Abraham Lincoln. If you haven't seen it just trust me.
Load More Replies... 
#20
TIL that at least 4 billion people across the globe wear glasses, and 75% of adults worldwide rely on some sight correction product.
OhnoI’vebeencensored 2 years ago
I had laser eye surgery. That was a great decision - no more glasses!
Red_panda 2 years ago
I was going to but they told me that since the way my eyes worked is they got progressively worse starting around age 11, that the process would just start over. And in 2 years I would need glasses/contact again; and in 10 years my eyes would be just as bad as they are now.
Load More Replies...
Shark Lady 2 years ago
My daughter didn't want me to have contacts or eye surgery because she has only ever known me with glasses, I even have a pair I sleep in. I've worn them for over 30 years now and couldn't imagine myself without them!
Daniela Lavanza 2 years ago
Maybe you could explain to her that you're still her mum no matter what you look like. Wearing glasses, which I do, is a perpetual source of problem: you may lose them, break them, it's a problem when it rains, when you do sport...I for one couldn't resort to surgery :( but I've changed to lenses and it's already far better. If I could just enjoy a perfect view, I wouldn't hesitate.
Load More Replies...
featherytoad 2 years ago
I like my glasses because they hide my under eye discoloration. I don't wear makeup.
Ariom Dahl 2 years ago
I wore glasses for over sixty years, then recently had cataracts in both eyes removed and replaced with ocular implants. Now I only wear glasses for reading, and then only sometimes. The brilliant eye surgeon told me before the op it would change my life, and he was SO right!
David A Paterson 2 years ago
Still on glasses. Contact lenses ended up disappearing round the back of my eyeball, so no, thanks.
Paul Brown 2 years ago
Did you know that 80% of all glass stores and brands are owned by one company, Luxottica?
Red PANda (she/they) 2 years ago
If all the humans now were suddenly transported back to the stone ages where glasses didn’t exist, we’d be screwed lol
Array Index Out of Bounds 2 years ago
This can't be right. That would mean half of all people wear glasses, and I just don't see that. (Maybe I need glasses?)
Rosemary 2 years ago
I thought so too, then I remembered how many people use reading glasses. (Love your username btw)
Load More Replies... #21
TIL in 1956 Paris and Rome signed an agreement to become twin cities of each other exclusively with the statement "Only Paris is worthy of Rome; only Rome is worthy of Paris".
François Bouzigues 2 years ago
I really hope that the olympics will have the same effect on Paris it had on Barcelona. Because Paris could be so much nicer than it currently is.
Rizzo 2 years ago
We visited Paris a few years ago and we felt the same. Paris could be so much nicer. Later I learned, that "Paris syndrome" is a thing. "Paris syndrome is a sense of extreme disappointment exhibited by some individuals when visiting Paris, who feel that the city was not what they had expected. The condition is commonly viewed as a severe form of culture shock." (Wikipedia)
Load More Replies...
Aroace tiger (she/they/he) 2 years ago
Lol the only capital cities I've gone to outside of my country. What r the chances?
Amelia Honeychurch 2 years ago
LOL - never been to Rome, but I kind of have a hard time believing Parisians think ANYONE is worthy of their city.
Lemme get the lemons 2 years ago
How? Not to be rude, but both are very important. Rome for one is a great way o seeing the past, a beautiful place for tourism and locals. also, ya know, controlled quite a bit of the world years ago, affecting England, which would not have invaded America, not making the USA either, not making Australia what is now either. A very significant capital.
Load More Replies...If you're bored, have free time, or want a change, learning something new can make you feel better in your mind and body. It provides motivation. Picking up a new language, trying out a musical instrument, or tending to a small herb garden can bring you energy, happiness, and a sense of purpose.
#22
TIL that most airlines never use a flight number again if that flight has a fatal crash, except for American Airlines, which keeps using flight #1 despite three major crashes.
David 2 years ago
Logically they are not using the same plane so who cares? This is right up there with many hotels / buildings skipping the number 13 and labeling their 13th floor as 14 because of 'bad luck' associated with 13.
Kristy Marion 2 years ago
Except a lot of people know the flight number that has caused deaths. And may not fly with that airline bc of it = lost profits.
Load More Replies...
April Pickett 2 years ago
Lesson: Never get on an American Airlines Flight #1, no matter if it's the only plane in the country going where you're going.
That Spinosaur 2 years ago
Is it just me being stupid or is anyone else wondering why they would USE THE SAME PLANE THREE TIMES?!
Jaya 2 years ago
Not the same plane, only the same flight number, which is basically like a name that the company uses for a certain route.
Load More Replies...
#23
TIL that Anne Ramsey, best known for her role in Throw Mama From The Train (1987), her slurred speech was due to operations for her throat cancer and was in pain during the whole production. She was nominated for an Oscar. Sadly she died of her throat cancer 6 months after the ceremony.
DarkViolet 2 years ago
She and her husband were a riot in "Any Which Way You Can" and "Scrooged."
Jeremy James 2 years ago
I love, "Scrooged" so much. If you can make it through that final scene without crying, I probably don't want to know you.
Load More Replies... 
Andy Frobig 2 years ago
Was this part of Throw Mama From the Train's well deserved Oscars sweep?
#24
TIL that Gal Gadot was five months pregnant while shooting for wonder woman. So, the costume department covered her belly with a bright green fabric that they could digitally alter in postproduction.
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
All women who are pregnant are wonder women ....
Load More Replies...
David 2 years ago
I find this interesting because I remember thinking at the time that she looked just a tiny bit thick. Not the doctored belly but just overall. And before you downvote me that is not a slam. I think she is pretty and I recall thinking at the time it was a positive thing that they didn't make star be "Barbie skinny" everywhere but the chest. Respect for starring in an action movie in the middle of a pregnancy. Even with staged fights that can be demanding.
Milady Blue 2 years ago
They put a green screen type cloth over her abdomen, so they could edit her baby bump out with CGI. LOL, Gal said it looked like she was pregnant with Kermit the Frog.
Jonathan Labelle 2 years ago (edited)
Also Stephanie Beatriz Was 8 Month pregnant recording her line for Encanto
AndThenICommented 2 years ago
She was in early labour when she recorded the opening song. That’s one way to distract yourself before things really move along
Load More Replies... Binky Melnik 2 years ago
I can imagine the steam coming out of the producers’ ears when they heard about her pregnancy! Wowie! It takes balls to sign a contract to front a superhero movie when you’re pregnant!
Cuppa tea? 2 years ago
I think most actors sign multiple movie deals in say 5-10 years, and then just wait for the start of production. Unlikely Gal signed contract when she was pregnant, it happened either during shooting and she had contract signed long time prior to both.
Load More Replies...
One of the learning benefits is that it fights boredom. Doing the same routine daily can become dull and drain your excitement for life. While learning something new requires more effort than simply watching TV, the rewards are plentiful.
#25
TIL that an estimated of 22% of all gold ever accounted for on the earth's surface came from a single plateau in South Africa called Witwatersrand.
T'Mar of Vulcan 2 years ago
It still does. There's a reason Jozi (Johannesburg) is called the City of Gold and the province is called Gauteng (also means place of gold).
Jonny Chevalier 2 years ago
I think back in the day it was the Africans and the buyers were coming from China , and the Arabs. that before the Portuguese moved in. and really worked the slave trad, before the others joined in. the Brits were next I believe..
Hugh Cookson 2 years ago
If you think about it, gold is ridiculous ; ok it has some uses in medical and tech stuff but mostly it's a pretty shiny thing that's easily manipulated. Apart from its aesthetic value, it has no worth but then neither does the smile on my Wife's face in the morning or the happiness I feel when I back the winner of the 2.30 at Cartmel.
Costa Villaras 2 years ago
Gold is the most non-reactive of all metals and does not rust. Gold is so pliable that it can be made into sewing thread (one kilogram slice of gold could easily be drawn into a wire - about the thickness of human hair - 5 kilometres long). Gold can conduct heat and electricity. Apart from copper and caesium, Gold is the only non-white coloured metal.
Load More Replies... Rinoboyrich 2 years ago
Not really. Working conditions were some of the most difficult in the world. A LOT of deaths…
Load More Replies...
#26
TIL Paracetamol overdose is one of the leading causes of acute liver failure
Say No to Downvoting 2 years ago
Further paracetamol trivia: Pharmacists/pharmacologists don’t actually know how paracetamol works so if they were trying to get it on the market today it would never be approved.
Ace 2 years ago
Not technically correct. Its action is mostly understood, but some of the body's responses are not. And an exact description mode of action is not always required for an NDA (approval) anyway.
Load More Replies...
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
TIL that Japan and the US call it acetaminophen and the rest of the world calls it paracetamol!
Shark Lady 2 years ago
It's also extremely painful, trying to unalive yourself by Paracetamol overdose is not a quick process.
Knoxy 2 years ago
I tried on multiple occasions. Thought I deserved the pain and the unalive status. Thankfully I've not been in that head space for some time.
Load More Replies...
DC 2 years ago
... everybody should know this. Also, it's pretty easy to OD on that stuff if you're a child - that medicine is OTC should NEVER lead you to think it's not dangerous, or less dangerous than other medicine just because that requires a prescription, or even a narcotics' prescription ("Betäubungsmittelrezept" in german - stuff that messes up your brain and/or is severely addictive, such as almost all opioides, require a special prescription around here that is stored for some years in every facility involved - doctors', pharmacy and a central drugs-and-stuff facility owned and run by the state). You can kill a small child with only one regular dosed Paracetamol pill meant to be used by adults. NEVER leave these lying around if you have pets, children or visitors who bring these along. And if the damage is done ... NEVER hesitate to call an emergency if you only suspect your children, your dogs, cour cats of having eaten pills not meant for them - off to the doctor, asap, then!
Mario Strada 2 years ago (edited)
My wife was taken off her opiates pain killers and told by her doctors to take "megadoses of Tylenol (acetaminophen) and Advil". She ended up in the ICU with total organ failure due to acetaminophen toxicity. It was touch and go for a while. They take chronic pain patients off opiates purely out of bigotry and then give them something far less effective and far more toxic. And it's happening under our noses. Almost every week I read of some elderly pain patient unaliving themselves because the pain is too much to live with. Pain clinics are the worst. They openly lie to their patients and force them to use mindfulness/acupuncture even when it clearly don't work. One of these days a couple of doctors I know will have a close encounter with a piece of rebar to their knees and then I'll tell them to use mindfulness to get over the pain. Curious to see how it will work.
Mario Strada 2 years ago
For the record, when my father was dying of bone cancer, his doctors withheld opiates from him, which resulted in him screaming for the two weeks he was alive. When I asked why, they told me, in all seriousness, "You wouldn't want your father to become addicted". They gave him two weeks to live and in fact he was dead in 15 days. They were butchers and in 2 weeks I could barely exchange 10 minutes of actual conversation with my dying father. I still feel robbed 20 years later.
Load More Replies... 
Socks 2 years ago (edited)
NAC or N-Acetyl Cysteine, is the gold standard in removing paracetamol (acetaminophen in the US) toxicity from the liver. It has been considered to be included in paracetamol to reduce overdose cases. The natural sulphurous (eggy) smell is a bit off-putting for some. But it does not taste eggy. It does need to be used within 4 hours of paracetamol intake to be most effective. Always go to A&E if an overdose has been taken. They will use an intravenous method rather than the oral NAC we can buy.
#27
TIL the Colorado River doesn’t make it to the ocean anymore — since 1960
Annik Perrot 2 years ago
And that rock doesn't look glad about it. Yes, I know, can't help it if I see faces everywhere (pareidolia)
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
This is nothing to do with climate change. All of the water is extracted for human usage.
Load More Replies...
It also boosts self-confidence, "When you acquire a new skill, your brain's prefrontal cortex becomes more active," explains Dennis Buttimer, a life and wellness coach at Cancer Wellness at Piedmont. "As you progress in mastering this skill, you'll gain confidence and courage, which can help you conquer fear and anxiety. You'll feel more empowered."
#28
TIL about the 2010 book "Barbie: I Can Be A Computer Engineer" and that Mattell apologized for the book after extensive online criticism because Barbie had her male friends code the game she was designing and that her male friends fixed Skipper's computer that Barbie had infected with a virus
Laugh or not 2 years ago
Barbie was an astronaut years before NASA employed a woman as an astronaut. And a president when almost no woman was head of state. How much have they regressed that she can't be a competent programmer.
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
To be fair, my father is a teacher and gun collector, but afraid of his own Mac. He's a strange person.
Load More Replies...
Hippopotamuses 2 years ago
Although I was born a couple of years after Barbie, and am male, I've never entirely trusted her. She's simply too good looking to be real.
Dreaming Spirit 2 years ago
I'm not defending the book as there's not much of a context, but to be honest, these examples doesn't sound so outrageous to me. I'm a software developer myself, if my computer acts up, I bring it to the service folks to fix. And the programming languages I know aren't too suitable to make a video game, so even if I had a great idea, I'd just pitch it to another team. So, I'm not too surprised that another computer engineer, be it male or female or nonbinary, asks for help with these tasks. Obviously, it wouldn't hurt if the developer and IT support team weren't all male.
Jane Doe 2 years ago
Anecdotally, it does seem harmless at worst and a good example of men and women working together at best. In the actual toy set, Barbie admits she can’t program but gives it a try. She downloads a virus to her own and to Skipper’s laptop. She asks two men to help and then takes credit…it was a cluster, start to finish.
Load More Replies... Binky Melnik 2 years ago (edited)
I’m not a huge feminist but even I find this trivia absolutely sickening. You’d think the author woulda known that that’s not acceptable in this day and age. Ugh. Barbie screws thngs up so a boy hasta fix it. Really?
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
I'm reminded vaguely of this Simpson's Episode. Malibu-Sta...019035.jpg 
Andy Frobig 2 years ago
This makes her a lot like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates. Maybe they should have written about her stealing ideas from Xerox
Binky Melnik 2 years ago
Nothing was stolen; it was licensed. Xerox wasn’t interested in the technology.
Load More Replies...
KittyGaming 2 years ago
There was a barbie movie where she knew how to code and was making a game and getting on a discord chat with her friends. Please tell me im not the only one that has seen this movie
#29
TIL the Majority of Millennials and Gen Z use subtitles when streaming TV
Lakota Wolf (she/her) 2 years ago
Agreed. I'm Gen X (41 years old) and I ALWAYS use subtitles. I've used subtitles for 20+ years. It stems from the fact that actors don't always speak clearly and I HATE missing/mishearing lines.
Load More Replies...
Ren Karlej 2 years ago
About time those in charge of making TV shows got their act together and realised how bad a job they are doing with the loud action music and the too quiet dialogue. It's not clever and it just frustrates!
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
This 100%. Music and crashes at volume 11 while dialog is volume 4. And why are so many scenes so dark that you can't make out anything? Shoddy camera work? They don't know how to fake darkness while illuminating the action like those before them were able to do?
Load More Replies...
Firstname Lastname 2 years ago
As someone who lives with neighbors, I'd rather play it slightly quietly and have the subtitles confirm what they are saying for me than be a rude loud neighbor.
Ren Karlej 2 years ago
Nice. I hope all your neighbours are as considerate.
Load More Replies...
Solidhog 2 years ago
I would use a torch if it would work as well. It might be "artistic" to use low light and have actors mumble or whisper. But it makes for really bad viewing and entertainment! You want to be artistic, take up painting!
Annik Perrot 2 years ago
Same here. I realized how much I unconsciously relied on lip-reading.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
I (boomer) use subtitles most of the time and my hearing is great. I got into the habit when my grandkids were living on my property and often would not stop talking during shows / movies. There are some advantages beyond the obvious "old person can't hear" aspect. 1. Often some of the super soft things that don't come across on the soundtrack (maybe with headphones) are included in the captions. The other end of a phone conversation, the person on the other side of the restaurant. 2. If it is a foreign thig - particularly a lot of anime - then the captions are often more literal than the English dubs and it is interesting to see the differences in how they frame things for an English audience. 3. It's a great way for picking up new words even when audio and subs are both 'English". Stuff like if the actor has a heavy accent and is using a lot of local slang (British stuff for example).
kay s. 2 years ago
here's a long but interesting article about sound in entertainment: https://www.slashfilm.com/673162/heres-why-movie-dialogue-has-gotten-more-difficult-to-understand-and-three-ways-to-fix-it/. for the record, i'm a 100% subtitles user and have been for as long as they've been available despite not having any diagnosed aural disorders. it's been frustrating watching anything lately bc of poor sound.
#30
TIL Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt was allergic to moon dust.
DE Ray 2 years ago
It doesn't matter. Moon dust is exceedingly sticky, and gets all over the outside of the suit. Then when you get back to whatever habitat you are working from, it transfers from the suit to just about every surface in the habitat. Then you take off the suit, and the moon dust is transferred to you from the suit, and the surfaces in the habitat. If I remember correctly, Schmitt didn't even leave the lander capsule, and his reaction was purely from what other astronauts brought into the capsule on their suits.
Load More Replies...
David A Paterson 2 years ago
"Allergic" isn't the right word. Moon dust is very nasty stuff, worse than asbestos.
CaptainDinosaur 2 years ago
Once, after some bourbon, I ordered a kilo of "Lunar Regolith Simulat" online. It's fake moondust NASA uses to test things on Earth. I still have it. It's extremely fine.
Learning new things every day might help with your health, "Learning is excellent for your brain no matter your age," Buttimer points out. "When you take on a new skill, your brain starts reshaping itself since it remains adaptable. In the past, it was believed that this adaptability lasted only until adolescence. However, current research indicates that the brain can keep changing throughout our lives, and in a positive way. This leads to fewer fear responses and a more positive outlook."
#31
TIL Japan has a ratio of one vending machine for every 30 people.
Zedrapazia 2 years ago
According to google, in 2023, 123'294'513 people live in Japan. Divided by 30, that means approximately 4'109'817 vending machines. That's a looooooot of vending machined!
Mimi La Souris 2 years ago
everywhere! i found 3 of them in the middle of nowhere, vending hot/cold beverages and ramen.
Load More Replies... SCamp 2 years ago
Can vouch, lived there, they have not only a lot of vending machines but one for anything you can imagine and I mean ANYTHING
David 2 years ago
Back in the 80s in Sasebo area I was impressed they had hot canned coffee. That's not that amazing but I had never seen that state side. In fact, I still haven't seen it in the US but it might exist. I've only seen hot machine beverages in paper cups.
Load More Replies... David 2 years ago
If you are interested - there is a youtube channel where the guy seeks out all the weird vending machines he can find in Japan and samples them, sometimes gets to show you the inner workings. Some of them are quite creative. It was a weird youtube rabbit hole I fell down one day and found kind of interesting so I go back to it from time to time.
Kristy Marion 2 years ago
I love the vending machines, they’re found in the most random spots and filled with the most random things. Hey, you’ve just climbed a mountain! Have some used panties
David 2 years ago
that made me laugh. I've never personally seen a panties one (but I know they really do exist) but I did see machines with 'odd' things in them by American standards at the time. The closest I have seen stateside was one time in an airport they had one that had a bunch of misc items in it a traveler might need.
Load More Replies...
Christopher Gerlach 2 years ago
Some even sell cigarettes' or used underwear. Keep it weird, Japan.
Passerby 2 years ago
Their vending machines are amazing though. Where I live (which is definitely not Japan), vending machines only sell drinks. I would love to see the variety they have in Japan. For example, I have heard of ones that sell ramen, bakery, ice cream, seafood, caviar, meat etc.
Panda-sized Potato 2 years ago
In the United States, there are a multitude of machines: cold drinks, hot drinks, snacks, ice cream, cakes, pizza, electronics, portable batteries, shoes, aspirin.
Load More Replies...
#32
TIL the 1 billion smokers in the world contribute to the 880,000 second hand smoke deaths each year from those that do not smoke.
Ren Karlej 2 years ago
Doctor recently asked me if I smoke - asked if the first 20 years of my life with my heavy-smoking mother counted. He didn't have a response to that.
Winnie the Moo 2 years ago
I honestly HATE parents that smoke in the proximity of their kids. How can you smoke in your car with the windows closed and your kid in the backseat?!?!
Load More Replies...
Sonja 2 years ago
The individual freedom ends were the freedom of the next individual is impaired. A hard lesson many don't want to understand. Smoking can't be part of individual freedom and has to be regulated, because if smokers are allowed to do what they want, everyone else has to suffer. They get to decide if they want to poison themselves. But when it comes to smoking in public places they don't get to decide to poison others along with them.
Me. 2 years ago
I'm not sure who, but someone once said 'I have absolute right to swing my fist, but that right ends where your nose begins'
Load More Replies... Pittsburgh rare 2 years ago
And here smokers are complaining that their "rights" are being violated because there's a possible ban on smoking on terraces 🙄🙄🙄
Timmy Pillinger 2 years ago
My partner and I play cold air bagpipes - we use bellows not lungs to fill the bag. We're too young to experience this but older players say that if you play them in smoky pubs the tar wrecks the reeds.
Becky Samuel 2 years ago
This is misleading and sensationalist clickbait. Each smoker does NOT cause 0.88 death a year. *Some* fires are caused by smokers, but the two numbers featured in the comment are not relevant to each other.
David A Paterson 2 years ago
That's 0.88 divided by one thousand. I started looking at medical literature. Starting as always with the earliest. First, smoking was found to be an antibiotic, effective at killing bacteria in the air. Fumigation. Then it was found that smoking does not cause skin cancer. Smoking a lot causes emphysema, but that cures itself when you stop for a few weeks. And it was discovered that giving workers a smoking break improves productivity. At a guess, incense kills more people than passive smoking. Quite possibly lung cancer from marijuana kills more, too, marijuana doesn't come with a tar filter.
Load More Replies...
ThatFriendlyFox (she/her) 2 years ago
I’ve seen the effects of smoking. My grandpa used to run marathons, was going to do the run up pikes peak colorado. He began smoking, and died at 61. Dont do it.
#33
TIL there are 96 bags of human waste on the moon.
Pedantic Panda 2 years ago
Litter seems to be the calling card of our species, more than leaving a flag behind.
David A Paterson 2 years ago
Wait, that means that there is life on the Moon. Inside those litter bags. Just waiting for the climate to change.
iBlank 2 years ago
just goes to show that sometimes it's best not to know your ancestry
Load More Replies... 
Snorky The Pig 2 years ago
Ridiculous how we can't leave a single species, peak or even outer space out of our harm's reach.
featherytoad 2 years ago
I knew it was just a matter of time before humans started the c**p up space too.
Booker 2 years ago (edited)
We've been messing up space since the first space launch. Poo on the Moon seems reasonable compared to all the space junk/debris orbiting the Earth, endangering life and active satellites.
Load More Replies... geezeronthehill 2 years ago
Some day those bags of poo will be historical artifacts. Probably the subject of research papers.
Queeqec 2 years ago
Which one? There are (too) many foolish politicians, presidents, chancellors etc world wide. Maybe every country should vote " politicians to shoot out to the sun every year. Maybe they would overthink their decissions a bit better then.
Load More Replies...
Here's your daily dose of motivation to learn something new each day. To kick things off, you can begin by exploring the fascinating posts on the subreddit r/todayilearned. And if you're hungry for more intriguing facts, don't forget to check out our past posts here, here, here, and here.
#34
TIL that honey bees are *not* endangered
Pedantic Panda 2 years ago
But many other species of bees are. The UK has lost 13 species of wild bee in recent times.
WindySwede 2 years ago
Yes, focus on the solitary bees, bumble bees, solitary wasps, butterflies, hover flies etc! Plant native species with both pollen and nectar. As I understand it, solitary bees needs lots of pollen for brood?
Load More Replies...
Ed Brandon 2 years ago
Also, something doesn't have to be endangered for it's effects on the eco-system to be very serious.
Premislaus de Colo 2 years ago
With colony collapse disorder and varroa destructor I would be careful with such statements
Verena 2 years ago
Be careful with sentences like that. Not many people will research this and will instead use it as a welcome excuse to go on using pesticides abundantly.
Kelly H 2 years ago
I used to work in pesticide research for developing bee friendly pesticides. I personally think this is EXACTLY the information we need out there. Legal requirements globally for testing are on (at most) honeybees and bumblebees, neither of which are solitary bees. (Though bumble bees are incredibly threatened in the US). Testing requirements often follow science but also are the result of pressure from lobbying or activism. We need more people to care in order to expand testing and be more meaningful. No one is purposefully making agricultural pesticides that kill solitary bees, but without the testing requirement it is a data gap.
Load More Replies... RandomEpiBioPerson 2 years ago
Also, preliminary research has shown that the health of plants in an area tend to be better with a variety of be species pollinating the area, rather than a single species as well. More research still needs to be done, of course, but still good to know. That's part of the reason why I try to plant a decent variety of flowering plants, instead of a few similar ones. To hopefully encourage the presence of a variety of species to stay in the area. Although, I live in an apartment so I have to do them in pots and have very limited space.
RandomEpiBioPerson 2 years ago
Fun fact about bees, they were found to actually like to play. When given the choice between a ball that can't move and one that rolls, they will choose the one that rolls, even if there is no reward. Also, the younger bees tend to spend more time playing with the ball than older bees. This behavior actually implies a higher than expected level of intelligence in bees. Still more research is being done, but I love this fact regardless. ^_^
Load More Replies...
Kraneia The Dancing Dryad 2 years ago
Maybe not, but they pollinate a fair percentage of the food you eat, and for that reason should be protected.
PlatinumThe8-BitCat 2 years ago
Like a week or two ago I watched a video on how honey bees are actually invasive species and that they are harming lots of other native bees and insects
David A Paterson 2 years ago
There is no plant species on the Earth that relies only on the honey bee for its pollination.
Vinny DaPooh 2 years ago
The majority of fresh produce in the food supply though would be gone. Could humans survive? Yes. Could 8 Billion humans all survive? Not a chance. Bees disappearing would be a giant planetary population reset. Domino effect would cause a majority of most land animal species to have a huge population drop due to food scarcity.
Load More Replies...
LokisLilButterknife 2 years ago
This is some more information I found from the Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservations: "lthough we have seen colony losses, honey bees are not at risk of extinction. In fact, it is estimated that there are more honey bees on the planet now than at any time in human history. In contrast, there are more than 3,600 bee species native to North America, some of which are facing a real risk of extinction."
Load More Replies...
#35
TIL from WTC debris, the structural steel was bought by scrap metal industry and sold to Chinese and Indian second hand metal markets. Several buildings were built with Twin Tower steel across Indian cities, including a college and a trade centre.
Gustav Gallifrey 2 years ago
If they need any technical data on it, there's lots of conspiracy fans who can tell them ALL about it.
Paul Pienkowski 2 years ago
Good. I think it's cursed or very very haunted now. Let China handle all the angry 9/11 victims.
Robert D 2 years ago (edited)
Shhhh. We told Republicans we used the steel to make a 150 foot (45.7m) statue of Jesus holding an actually firing ar-15 styled artillery piece we use to indiscriminately bomb brown people. You should've seen their faces light up. Jesus would be so proud. ...if he wasn't a con artist convicted and executed 2000 years ago.
#36
TIL of "Snickers salad", a dish from the Upper Midwestern United States often served at potlucks that consists of chopped-up Snickers bars, Granny Smith apples, Cool Whip, and pudding. Popular lore states it is either a salad or a dessert depending on which end of the table it is sitting at.
Blue Bunny of Happiness 2 years ago
Okay, as a Brit, I don’t understand what half these things are, but it sounds grim! Please tell me it’s an urban myth….
GoGoPDX 2 years ago (edited)
Ok, so,, I am going to treat this like you don't know what any of the ingredients are, and am not trying to be rude. Snickers is a candy bar with Carmel, nouget, and peanuts covered in chocolate. Granny Smith apples are a type of apple that is bright green, has a very crunchy texture, and are quite tart. Cool Whip is a, in my opinion, gross, dessert topping that is like whip cream, but made with Water, hydrogenated vegetable oil (including coconut and palm oils), high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, skimmed milk, and light cream. It is kept frozen until used. Now, pudding is a very different thing over in the US. It is a custard like dish made with milk, egg, flour, butter, sugar, and flavor (like vanilla extract or chocolate) there are different variations of the recipe that use corn starch or are egg free. It is cooked in the stove and then cooled. It is quite delicious. But, since making real pudding takes time, there is an instant version you can buy at pretty much any grocery store that is a powder and you just add milk and mix it up and put it in the fridge for like 10 minutes. In the instance of the recipe above, they are talking about the instant powder version. But they don't add milk, the mix the powder into the cool whip and then mix the rest of the ingredients in. It honestly sounds gross, and most of the US does not eat this. The Mid West US is known for their cuisine of a lot of casseroles, crockpot meals, and "salads* of a lot of weird random things mixed together with aone ore two binding ingredients like cool whip, jello, mayo, whip cream (this is rare), sour cream, etc.
Load More Replies...
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
It's tongue in cheek because, of course, nothing with Snickers in it is considered a healthy salad
Load More Replies...
mysterious(all pronouns) 2 years ago
The Midwest is just like this. Salad could mean a combination of cool whip and various fruits, it could mean pasta, vegtables, and sauce, it could mean a proper salad, anything could be a salad.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
I know this dish well. My mother makes this, mostly for special events or meals. She's from Iowa and has lived there, Ohio, Minnesota, and Michigan all her life. I grew up a Michigander, so the description of upper midwest is spot-on. She calls it Apple Salad, and uses just whip cream without pudding, multiple kinds of apples including granny smith, mini-marshmallows, and different kinds of candy, including Snickers. We have a family member who has a nut allergy, so sometimes it's just apples, maybe bananas, and marshmallows in the whip cream. It is definitely not a "salad" but we tend to call anything mixed together with multiple standalone ingredients a salad here. I wouldn't say the dish is a staple, but it exists and I've seen others bring it to gatherings before. It is quite popular with our family at least, just as a side dish though.
Todd Rogers 2 years ago
Every family has one person that always shows up to celebrations/holidays with a snickers salad. "Oh, here comes Kim, carrying her large tupperware bowl. Lemme guess...snickers salad. Again." And they present it with an odd look of mischievous pride, like they got caught being naughty.
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
I think you'd be amazed. It's chopped chocolate caramel candy and tart apples mixed with faux whipped cream and powdered "pudding" (which is an instant custard-type dessert that thickens and gives vanilla flavor). I'm sure it'd be 10x better made with real whipped cream and custard but it's the contrast of the crunchy tart apples with the chewy candy that makes it so good. It's only called a salad in a tongue in cheek way because it's all jumbled together. It's a dessert and the average Upper Midwesterner has eaten a dollop of it at a family gathering a few times... not frequently. It's overwhelmingly sweet... and rather artificial.
ConstantlyJon 2 years ago
It is good. I wouldn't call it amazing or anything. Definitely not made with "quality" ingredients, but it's sweet and good as a dessert or a side dish.
Load More Replies...
#37
TIL popular 1920's actress Madge Bellamy separated from her newlywed husband after four days because of his fondness for eating ham and eggs, which she considered "plebeian". They would fully divorce three months later.
Jiminy 2 years ago (edited)
She sounds nice... BTW, the newspaper back then said that HE filed for divorce because she used abusive language towards him in public, missed appointments with him and completely ignored him at times.
VioletHunter 2 years ago
It sounds like these people had never spent any time with each other before their wedding and decided to essentially marry a stranger on a whim.
Load More Replies...
Hippopotamuses 2 years ago (edited)
Sounds more like a publicity stunt, than a real marital issue.
#38
TIL that between 1962 and 2021 a James Bond film has been released on average every 2 years and 3 months; while all have been profitable, the first generated the best percent return.
#39
TIL Some shoe companies will sell shoes with “fuzzy bottoms/soles” (think inexpensive shoes sold at places like Walmart, Target, etc) because they can legally classify them as “slippers” changing import tariff from 37.5% to just 3% despite them clearly being sneakers
Awesome At Being Autistic 2 years ago
Okay that explains a lot. I buy cheap trainers from Shoe Zone to wear around the house, and for the life of me I could not figure out why on earth they have that weird coating on the soles.
#40
TIL that Hamilton, the capital of Bermuda, is the city with the highest cost of living in the world. The cost of living is 47.42% higher than New York City.
Jiminy 2 years ago (edited)
The source for this statement would really interest me. I cannot find a single one except for numbeo, which conveniently ignores the cost of buying property (and apparently also excluding rent). And pretty much every other list on the internet does not confirm that.
Jo Jones 2 years ago
Hey, this one has some info about rent or property per sq meter https://livingcost.org/cost/united-kingdom/bmu/hamilton-bmu
Load More Replies... #41
TIL during WWII, the Smithsonian invented new Fish names that were easy to pronounce, so the Navy could name Submarines after them.
Panda-sized Potato 2 years ago
Subs used to be named after fish and marine animals, but now they are names after states.
#42
TIL that official Pokémon cards of Katy Perry, Post Malone and J Balvin made for a 25th anniversary album were created but never mass produced. The only owners of these rare cards are the people on the cards themselves and there are no plans to release them for sale
Lemme get the lemons 2 years ago
Why? What were there moves, their hp? It makes no sense, and it doesn't seem like something game freak, Nintendo, or wizards of the coast would allow it
#43
TIL about a federal lawsuit filed against Walmart concerning a stainless steel travel mug bought there. After mango juice had been in the mug for around 10 days, in which fermentation happened, a woman removed the top. It propelled into her face causing jaw injuries
Karen Grace 2 years ago
I don't see how her negligence is the fault of Walmart. This demonstrates one of this Countries biggest problems. People that refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.
Black Rabbit 2 years ago
Welcome to 2023…pass the blame onto someone else and say it’s racist, sexist, or some kind of “phobic.”
Load More Replies...
Kira Okah 2 years ago
Forgetting about the mug in a bag most likely, that is hardly uncommon.
Load More Replies...
Charles Whitaker 2 years ago
It was a stainless bottle with a screw on plastic top. When she was unscrewing it, the top shot off hitting her in the jaw and cheek. (According to the plaintiff) It appears that the case was dismissed in February 2023. Hoard v. Walmart Inc. Case #1:2021cv11342
Marci Rommal 2 years ago
She should not have left any fruit juice in the travel mug for that long of a time. Totally her fault.
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
I foresee a future where every tight-sealing vessel sold in America will come with educational materials explaining how pressure works.
Jennifer Ness 2 years ago
Built up pressure could blow the top off when seal was broken... as sometimes happens with soda bottles
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Barbara Kayton 2 years ago
A ‘wellness expert’ (I put quotes around the title simply because this is a very loose term) is quoted in the article, suggesting we study what we are passionate about. A neuroscientist put it differently . That advice is: don’t follow your passion, because passion changes and fails. Instead, study and learn about things that you find interesting.
Barbara Kayton 2 years ago
A ‘wellness expert’ (I put quotes around the title simply because this is a very loose term) is quoted in the article, suggesting we study what we are passionate about. A neuroscientist put it differently . That advice is: don’t follow your passion, because passion changes and fails. Instead, study and learn about things that you find interesting.
You May Like 60 Interesting Facts That Are Better Than Watching The News People Share 44 Facts That Completely Changed How They Think About, Well, Everything “I Didn’t Know This And Now I Feel Stupid”: 48 Pieces Of Knowledge That Were Supposed To Be Common
Ilona Baliūnaitė
Gabija Palšytė
Jonas Žvilius
Related on Bored Panda
