“Today I Learned”: 40 Interesting Facts About The World That Many Have Just Learned (New Posts)
Humanity has reached a point where you simply can’t afford to—let alone literally stop—learning things. The way the world spins and the cookie crumbles and the… things does that… thing it does… simply forces you into it, so you might as well embrace it.
Actually, you should embrace it, because pushing away the tide of ignorance is the only way we can win over stupidity, so go out there and become a shining light with all of this “Today I Learned” knowledge that we’re about to drop on you, courtesy of the “Today I Learned” subreddit.
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In 1964 a Swedish journalist did an experiment where he had a chimpanzee named Peter make a series of pantings and then submitted them to an art show as by Pierre Brassau to see if critics could tell the difference between avant grande art and art by a chimp. Most critics fell for it.
Film composer John Williams is the most Oscar-nominated living person, with 54 nominations. He is also the first person to be nominated in seven consecutive decades.
During a heated discussion in the Roman Senate, Julius Caesar received a letter. His fierce opponent Cato, thinking it would incriminate Caesar, had the letter read. It was a love letter from Cato's sister.
So, it goes without saying that education is generally a good thing. Minus probably the burden of knowing and comprehending things others don’t really care about, learning stuff can help you with a lot of things, generally enhancing your quality of life.
Sitting down and studying something not only gives you an escape from something, but also empowers you to do more. If you think learning how to use a hammer and nails bears little to no impact on things, that alone can mean you can do some pretty elite home decorating.
In September 2020, the last Blockbuster video rental store, which is located in Bend, Oregon, hosted 1990s-themed sleepovers via Airbnb for $4 a night.
During the opening ceremony of Ottawa International Airport’s new terminal in 1959, a USAF F-104 Starfighter did a supersonic flypast. The resulting sonic boom shattered nearly all the glass in the airport and caused significant structural damage, delaying the opening for another year.
Schools have used infant simulator dolls which are designed to behave like real babies by crying, burping, and requiring 'feeding' and diapering, to try to deter teen pregnancy. A 2016 study found that teen girls in schools that used the dolls were about 36% more likely to get pregnant by age 20.
Probably would've worked better if the boys were given them to look after too...
The boys get them as well. I had one, this was late 90's.
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I think teaching about effective contraception methodes would have been smarter
They do that, too. However, we have to be real about contraceptives. They are not 100% effective. This is not stressed enough.
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When my kids brought them home, I sent them out to a small shed we have with as a spare bedroom and made them be single parents for the weekend. Wanted them to get the full effect. But this was also in a child development/parenting class their high school offers, so it wasn't just 'here, play with this robo baby for the weekend.' They got real information.
Same, my high school only used them as part of the Child Development course
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No, it conditioned them into thinking that they needed to have babies.
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We had that too but we did these in 8th grade as well. It was called Baby think it over. The weren't as elaborate as the HS ones which had to be diapered, fed, etc. Ours just had to be held with the key every time it cried.
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Presumably the schools already knew that, which is why they decided to try the dolls?
That was my first thought, but no, this was an RCT (conducted in Western Australia, published in the Lancet in 2016).
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We did this with eggs when I was a teenager. (We had to carry the egg around and keep it "alive" to get a grade.) The boy had to do it too. Thankfully no one ended up laying any! :)
It was part of my home ec class. I've seen others where they use a bag of flour instead of an egg, too.
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Maybe the dolls made them WANT to have a baby. After all girls love to play with baby dolls and pretend they are moms.
I am a girl and I don't. Never have never will. Like Ael has mentioned, we are different individuals.
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A different study found that older teen girls who wanted to have kids found looking after the dolls *less* demanding than they'd expected (on average ). They already knew teen mums and didn't go into it expecting an easy ride. So it acted as a confidence booster, reassuring them that they'd be able to cope. And of course it couldn't simulate many of the other hardships of teen parenting, such as economic or health crises. (I specifically say "girls" as that's who the study reported on; that's not my gender assumptions, so don't shoot the messenger please.)
Or just maybe girls that age shouldn't need to be trained in that way or made to have that stress.
Theses are only basic human needs! Mental health and any other types of issues that are more difficult to take care of (physical health issues that aren't simple trip to the doc fixes) should also be at LEAST mentioned, as well. Then these teens won't think, this is easy, I can do it!!! And chronic sleep deprivation when you don't have enough support from even 1 other person, at any hour the help becomes needed, is also a main factor in a new parent's ability.
There has had to have been more factors at play. It's not like little girls never played with baby dolls and pretended to be a mom growing up. Many have and not all of them decided to become a parent as a teen. Unplanned pregnancies are not planned. Some teens do purposely get pregnant, without the planning part, but that is a whole other issue for them. There is usually something amiss going on in their lives they are trying to escape by all means necessary, even if it means starting a new life, a new family. They're running on pure fantasy and looking through rose tinted glasses. These dolls CAN give a false sense of optimism they are capable of caring for a baby. Thing is, those dolls are about as real to the experience as the materials they're made of. But we have to look at the number collectively. 36% is not a small portion, but it's not that high, either.
Anyone wonder why it did not work? Other than the general lack of education in regards with sex, contraception, accessibility to services in relation with sexual health etc etc- just a doll is not going to stop you. My dad, a doctor, approached me at age 17 and asked me if I was on birth control, if not, he would prescribe.. yes, my dad. And yes, I was on birth control. He said "Good".
I had those in highschool, the class was literally called "Prep For Parenting". For reference I got an A, I'm now in my 30s, and have absolutely no children.
Could be a great tool to identify opportunities for mandatory sterilization
Why don't they just give boys and girls preservatives and education????
Or then schools just teach about sex and birth control. Thel dolls obviously work too, but simply sex education does the same thing much easier.
I remember being assigned one of these in high school...I put it in the garage when it didn't stop crying...I was adamant I didn't want kids then....no one believes me
My school has them, imagine a doll screaming and crying in the middle of Spanish
Daughter had one. They need a key to reset after the care they get. Went to Wally World and forgot the damn key. Chucked the doll in the bed of my pickup so's we wouldn't have to listen to the stupid thing crying for the 1/2 hour trip home. Got home and promptly called the teacher explaining my kid had everting but the key with us, and that if I had a key to turn my kids off, we would NEVER forget it. She got a small ding on her A grade.
Oh my biomed class had the option of getting one of these for extra credit. Hell to the no for me.
I expect that's probably more correlation than causation. like they are more likely to use them in areas that have high teen pregnancy rates
Correlation is not causation. Maybe the girls who knew they were likely to get pregnant, or who were more interested in having a baby and hence more likely to get pregnant, were more interested in the dolls?
What about sexual education??? Cheaper, simpler and far more effective.
If they really want to reduce teen pregnancy all they need is decent sex education in schools That coupled with cheap & non- restrictive easy access to contraception, eg; the pill, the 'morning after pill' & condoms directly from pharmacists Without any moral judgment or inquisition of the teen, just a simple sale IUDs from local clinics, supplied & fitted for free And lastly, (being the absolute last resort), if for any reason none of the above were freely available when required, such as in cases of rape then swift & easy access to a Medically induced Safe abortion in a healthcare professional environment It really is that simple
When I was at a Catholic secondary school we watched a video of a woman giving birth in a hospital. I think that put off a few girls 😆
Yeah, but did they think to teach them abstinence, too? Cause we know that will work.
I had to do this twice. The first time I was able to care for it all night. The second time I was so tired I just put the thing under a bunch of blankets in the living room and went to sleep.
They should program those dolls to cry non-stop around the clock.
You would think giving a crying doll baby would deter them wanting to be a parent. I'm 30 and still never want kids bahaha
How was the number before they used the dolls? That would actually say something. It might be that the dolls should be a sollution for a problem?
Maybe if they deducted money for diapers and baby food and medical care from their pocket money…
I remember getting one of those in high school. We were supposed to keep it for a weekend. I ripped the battery out of it the first night because f*** that s*** lol. When the teacher asked me why I said, "I've never wanted kids and never will want kids. I don't need a doll to tell me that."
Ah yeah, because being a single parent is notoriously easy, requires no work at all, and is in no way correlated with poverty levels. Stop reading the Daily Mail and wind your neck in.
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Learning has the power to reduce stress. These days, there’s a sure abundance of it, so picking up new things to learn might help throw the excess anxiety out the window.
Studies have shown that employees who engaged in a learning activity gained a certain kind of buffer against the negative effects of stress. This included being less affected by negative emotions, unethical behavior, and burnout.
In 1998, elementary students in Aurora, Colorado started buying slaves in Sudan to free them, this gained global attention with schools in other countries starting slave buyback programs until it became clear that the money was just helping slavery grow.
American athlete Florence Griffith Joyner is the fastest woman ever recorded. The record is still standing after 35 years. She passed away at the age of 38.
C.S. Lewis and Aldous Huxley both died on November 22nd, 1963. However, their deaths were overshadowed by the more prominent death of John F. Kennedy on the same day.
Needless to say, education instills confidence.
Not only is knowledge in and of itself empowering, as the more you know, the more you feel confident in your knowledge and abilities. But it’s also true that the learning environment can also foster self-confidence in students—things like positive feedback, setting realistic goals, implementing equality in the classroom, all the while allowing them to be individuals and creating a positive learning environment all help build up self-esteem and confidence in one’s own intelligence.
In 1915 a three minute, long distance phone call cost the equivalent of $500 in today’s money.
Henry VIII's doctors were too scared to tell him he was dying while he was on his deathbed because of the Treason Act forbidding anyone from speculating about the King's death. The Archbishop was the one who had to break the news.
Alexander the Great's doctors were too scared to treat him because if he died, they would too.
Radiohead seventh studio album In Rainbows was released under a pay-what-you-want model, in which fans could pay the price they desired, including downloading the entire album for free. Many customers in turned paid and they gained more profits because of this marketing strategy.
This one was already hinted at before, but there is a reason why folks say knowledge is power. Knowledge allows you to achieve many things: everything from being able to fix stuff yourself to being able to train your brain to resolve problems faster and more efficiently to straight-up being good at trivia games.
When a Manhattan Project scientist was asked to calculate whether a human being could survive exposure to a very high dose of radiation, she only learned later that the person that had received the dose was her husband.
The scientist was Dr Elizabeth Graves. Her husband, Alvin, along with seven others, had been accidentially explosed to radiation. Dr Louis Slotin accidentally slipped and filled the room with a "blue ionization glow". He knew he had received a lethal dose or radiation, but wanted to find out whether the others would survive. Alvin, had been standing closest to him at the time. Alvin survived but had chronic neurological and vision problems.
Campbell Soup considered litigation against Andy Warhol's soup can paintings but instead embraced them.
The architect Rafael Viñoly was responsible for not just one, but two different buildings that thanks to their curved facade would turn into death rays when the sun shines on them.
Who would have thought concave surfaces would concentrate light?! Well, only everyone who had a tiny bit of education in physics. I can understand one person suffering from a brain fart and thinking a curved glass surface would look pretty, but what about the engineers, the planners, the builders etc? These building plans were seen by so many people. How did they manage to be build given the very clear design flaw?
Education is also known to help something that’s often discussed these days, and that is mental health.
This one’s multifaceted as education in terms of a healthy mind means that it provides a sense of accomplishment, allows for social opportunities in educational environments, gives the tools to ensure financial stability, among many other things. This in turn reduces stress and anxiety, all the while strengthening self confidence.
By the 1970's the black footed ferret was declared extinct, only for a dog to bring one home to its owners in 1981 in Wyoming, allowing conservationists to find the last remaining popualtion.
The Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de León was killed after being struck by an arrow poisoned with manchineel sap. A present-day Spanish name is manzanilla de la muerte, "little apple of death". This refers to the fact that manchineel is one of the most toxic trees in the world.
From 1961 to 1993, 6 out of the 7 US Presidents were navy veterans.
One thing I can personally attest to is the fact that attending university also means going through social school as well. Learning a trade isn’t the only goal of an educational institution—it also provides ample opportunities to develop as a person on a social level through group projects, social clubs and events. You learn to function in society more, and those connections that you make during your studies can prosper and become a bigger deal one day.
Kiera Knightley was only 17 during filming for Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl and Love Actually.
That's crazy! I always thought she looked like she didn't age, but now it makes so much sense.
A plumber found cash and checks stashed in a wall at Joel Osteen's Houston mega-church.
A man didn't know that he got drafted by the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles drafted Norm Michael of Syracuse University in 1944, but could not reach him as he had already enlisted in the US Army. Michael only learned what had happened in 1999, when reading about other Syracuse NFL players.
Learning is also a kind of an excuse for “me time.” Everyone needs to unwind, reboot, let their brain recoup and indulge in a good work-life balance. Learning is as good of an activity as any. Actually better, as you gain extra from it.
So, yeah, it’s quite alright to tell someone you can’t hang out with them because you’re on a strict learning schedule. Even if you don’t need to learn, hey, there’s your reason to force a raincheck on plans you don’t feel like being a part of.
Scottish/Canadian man Angus MacAskill is thought to be the tallest "true" giant (not abnormal height due to a pathological condition) in history. He stood 7'9" tall, had an 80" chest (also a record) 44" shoulders and weighed 510lbs.
That the moon appearing huge when it's near the horizon is a trick our brains play on us, you can remove the illusion by bending over and looking through your legs, or standing on your head and nobody is quite sure why.
In 2018, a UK school began enforcing a policy that banned all students from carrying backpacks after two students and a staff member were injured by students carrying book bags that were slung over their shoulders. As a protest, a student carried his books to school using a microwave.
Some might find it a bit delusional, but there are folks who find learning genuinely fun. Learning provides satisfaction in knowing things. Learning provides a sense of achievement. Learning can be challenging and thus transformative. All of this has more than enough potential to provide fun. And hey, if you gamify learning, you can rub your extensive knowledge of mythical creatures and historical trivia in everyone’s face.
After Hurricane Sandy in 2012, engineers carried diesel fuel up 17 flights of stairs in buckets to keep the generators running to power a data center.
I wonder if they made the one who had the idea to put the generators on the 17th floor do all the hauling.
Mayor in High Wycombe, England are weighted annually since 1678 to make sure that the mayor didn't grow fat at taxpayer money.
'Weighed'. They're 'weighed', not 'weighted'. ' 'Weighed' means that their weight is measured. 'Weighted' means that they get loaded down with extra weight e.g. lead weights. EDIT: Now understand that English is second language for OP. Respect to OP for doing as well as he/she did with the difficult English language.
Until 2022, the Japanese public school system’s dress code required students dye their hair black. One student was forced to dye her naturally brown hair black, and was told to re-dye it every time her roots grew back. She was given academic penalties for not dyeing it often enough.
Ultimately, the way you do education sets an example for others—especially those who look up to you for guidance.
Parents expressing genuine excitement for learning, and living it, is a strong influence on kids. That inspires kids to also want to learn. Even more so when they find out it becomes a shared interest in life for them. And if you’re not living that educational lifestyle, maybe it’s time you rediscovered the thrill? It’s no longer the case where you work the same job all your life, after all.
There are 56 United States Vietnam War Medal of Honor recipients who received the medal for jumping on grenades and mines to save the lives of their comrades.
Kimbowa, Fùck you! None of this is funny and you're incredibly disrespectful. You have no idea what these service men/women have gone through, as well as their families. Idc if you're not from the US, these are human beings that sacrificed themselves to save others and should be treated with the dignity and respect they deserve.
Trains have tanks of sand with tubes that shoot sand under each wheel to create friction so the train accelerates more efficiently
Listen people. BRAKES are what you use to slow things down. BREAKS are when you go on a holiday or step out for a coffee. They are two different things. Why do so many people get it wrong ?
Original voice actor for Porky Pig was fired due to stuttering.
So, what are your thoughts on any of this? Any facts you thought were super fascinating? Share your findings, takes and stories in the comment section below!
And before you go, the learning doesn’t have to end here as you can continue scrolling “Today I Learned” articles on Bored Panda.
Cyndi Lauper sang a parody of her 1985 song "The Goonies 'R' Good Enough" for the Bob's Burger's Season 2 premiere which aired in 2012. The episode is a parody of The Goonies. She said, "My son really wanted me to do it. He loves the show and was like, 'C'mon, Mom, it's hysterical. Do it."
About an ancient African tradition where a murderer was punished by an assassin running into him with a spear which had meat on it. The murderer kept his mouth open. The murder victim's family decides if the murderer is killed by the spear or fed the meat (forgiven).
For people not getting it, either the murderer got killed by spear to the face or feed the meat of the tip of the spear. And didn’t know what the family had decided until he was ether eating the meat or the spear.
On the set of Jaws, Spielberg invited George Lucas to see the mechanical shark still in development. Lucas playfully stuck his head in its mouth, and Spielberg clamped it shut, leaving Lucas stuck. They snuck out of the workshop thinking they broke the contraption after eventually freeing him.
Bruce! The mechanical shark was named Bruce after Speilberg’s lawyer, Bruce Rayner. The name then went on to be used for the great white shark in Finding Nemo. The name Bruce is used in Australia as a general term for an Aussie man, as in G’day Bruce. Bruce the shark is voiced by Barry Humphries who is…. An Aussie man.
When Disney bought Lucasfilm, they cancelled an upcoming animated Star Wars series which starred, among others, Weird Al Yankovic. They had already made 39 episodes comprising two seasons.
In 2007, Malaysia sent its first astronaut to the ISS. The government and Islamic scholars also wrote that in order to pray, Muslims in space should face Mecca if possible; but if not, they could face the Earth generally, or just face “wherever.”
Yet more evidence that all these religiosities are an absolute stack of foecal fantasy
Neil Armstrong was filmed as he stepped on the moon with a $2.3 million upside-down camera. Westinghouse built for Apollo 11 a special model that the astronaut deployed by pulling a handle near the ladder he climbed down onto the lunar surface. NASA inverted the image for the TV audience.
WW2 sunken ships are being "grave robbed" due to their incredibly valuable steel.
That is because this steel has not been exposed to radiation from nuclear weapons.
Capybara are eaten during Lent in Venezuela because they are considered “fish” by the Vatican.
In 1957 Little Richard enrolled in Oakwood College for the ministry. He told all the students he didn’t want them listening to his “devil” music and wanted buy his records back for more than the original price in order to burn them in a bonfire.
In a hurdling event , you are not penalized for knocking over a hurdle.
Note: this post originally had 78 images. It’s been shortened to the top 40 images based on user votes.
The admiral adblock element is terrible. I had to do stuff to get around it. too many ads on BP. blockling them all.
The admiral adblock element is terrible. I had to do stuff to get around it. too many ads on BP. blockling them all.
