No matter how educated you might be, no matter how many books you’ve read, it’s impossible to know everything that there is to know about the world. Naturally, you’ll end up with quite a few knowledge gaps. Gaps that you might not even be aware of! However, if you keep an open mind and are humble enough to admit that you don’t know everything, the internet can be a fantastic place to learn new things.
That’s where the ‘Today I Learned’ Twitter account, @til_feed, comes in. It’s a page with 33.6k followers that has been collecting and sharing interesting facts about the world, from science and psychology to history and nature, since late 2020. We’ve chosen the most intriguing facts to pique your interest, Pandas, so put on your thinking hats as you scroll down.
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It might feel embarrassing to realize that you don’t know as much about the world as you thought you did, but there’s nothing wrong with that! Human beings are limited, and there are tons of other things to do throughout the day than read thick encyclopedias and memorize trivia. Things like work, meeting up with the people we care about, exercise, long walks on the beach, doing pesky chores, sharing cat memes, and much, much more.
They also made a movie about it, called Hidden Figures! Everybody should watch it, it’s so good!
In other words, we all have a finite amount of time. We can’t spend every minute of it for the sake of storing knowledge in our noggins. However, if we accidentally become aware of massive knowledge gaps that we’d like to somehow fill, then it’s an opportunity for growth! We don’t know what your experience was like at school or college, but we remember how excited we were when we started delving into a topic that we knew very little about but felt passion for.
Learning can be a ton of fun, especially if you believe that the knowledge you’re gaining is going to improve your life somehow or that information is likely to have a very practical use. For example, learning a random language might be fun, and good exercise for your mind, but if you’ll need the language for your job or an upcoming trip, then you have that added little bit of motivation to keep you going when things get tough. The same goes for all subjects, whether it’s history, psychology, management, or anything else, really.
At the same time, if a specific subject doesn’t interest you at all or you might not think that it’ll prove to be much useful to you in the future, feel free to ignore it. We all have limited free time, so learning about biology or chemistry just to flex to your friends by dropping random fact bombs on them during dinner isn’t worth it. At the end of the day, you have to embrace the fact that you won’t know, well, everything.
Geoff Gourley, writing on Medium, suggests bridging your knowledge gaps by considering taking web courses on a specific subject. According to him, it’s important to use the knowledge you gain proactively, with hands-on activities if possible. Teaching someone else, once you’ve built up a decent knowledge base, can also help cement the information in your mind.
Meanwhile, there are tons of free resources out there on the internet, all it takes is some patience to find them and filter out the best from the fluff.
I learned from reading an unrelated book that Marie Curie’s documents are also said to be radioactive as well.
If you’re ever in a situation where someone publicly points out that you’re wrong about something, the first step is to try and stay calm. Don’t panic! Embrace the fact that everyone makes mistakes. You could, for instance, thank the person for correcting you. And if you show some signs of mild embarrassment, it can make you seem more down-to-earth and likable as a result. The important thing here is not to make a mountain out of a molehill: your mistake definitely wasn’t as big as you thought, and you shouldn’t let that embarrassment turn into shame.
The way that people consume news and information has changed very much with the spread of the internet and the rise of social media.
"People consume news from a much broader variety of sources, on a much wider set of platforms. We are awash in information and we are used to seeing it in small chunks," Lisa McLendon, Ph.D., the William Allen White Professor of Journalism and Mass Communications at the University of Kansas, previously explained to Bored Panda.
I live in Los Angeles. Traffic is terrible. Can't imagine what it would be like if it were 16% worse.
I remember living in Hanna Wyoming was it was -40F. Walking home from the bus stop after school, it started to get dark and we had double scarves wrapped around our mouths. Breathing in that ice cold air really hurts your lungs. I can’t imagine what -83F is like ! But I did read Coldfoot, Alaska got that cold before ! Forget that c**p…I’m going back to Las Cruces New Mexico next summer lol
As a result the format of the news changes, as audiences begin to appreciate brevity more. As a result, some outlets might prioritize engagement over in-depth reporting.
"News outlets know this and have adapted headlines to catch people’s eyes and presentation to keep the audiences engaged. For example, if you look at how news is presented on a platform like Instagram, it’s presented visually in a short video or series of images so people can quickly get the main point. Most of these changes have happened to optimize speed and engagement, not depth," the professor told us via email earlier.
But on the bright side, you planted more trees and helped the environment!
“Depth is crucial for certain types of news stories, ones that aren’t easily summarized in a quick-hit format but nonetheless have great impact on people’s lives. Questions and creativity can help journalists stay motivated to delve deeper on a longer, more time-consuming story," the communications expert told Bored Panda.
She stressed that how the information or news is presented can drastically affect how engaged the audience is. "Usually this is not one big, long block of text—it may include photos, videos, maps, graphics, even interactive elements like a quiz,” she said that reporters are challenged to find more and more creative ways to present their stories.
I grew up calling them Lego bricks and Lego parts. The US plural use as a noun sounds weird and strangely childish to me. I've never corrected it though. It seems like it's engrained in the US psyche.
Never understood why our Americans friends took the S from the end of Maths and moved it to Lego.
Because the subject is mathematics, not mathsematics.
Load More Replies...Did you also know that LEGO is a composition of the two words Leg (play) and Godt(well)?
But if I don't stop will you take away my Lego™ Lord of the Rings™ set? If you do I will be very sad because then I will be Lego-less!
Load More Replies...I'm very aware of this yes and it's a pet peeve of mine
Calling them "Legos" is like calling the songs on an album "musics".
That's how Americans feel about calling it "maths," whether it's correct or not.
Load More Replies...So when you step on a bunch you say, "Darn I stepped on Lego bricks!" You clearly wouldn't be saying "I stepped on Lego." Because then you're using it as a noun. Lego says it's an adjective. I disagree. In common usage it is now a noun. Regardless of Lego's intentions. And the plural of a noun adds an s in English.
Load More Replies...He did--he gave us Duke Ellington, Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, the Ramones, and Bad Brains
Load More Replies...The reason the company is so adamant about not using their trademark as a noun is not about grammar. If the public begins to use a trademark as a noun or a verb, it may become generic, i.e., incapable of identifying source and therefore incapable of being infringed. Examples of trademarks that became generic include aspirin, escalator, cellophane.
so I'm supposed to say "I'm gonna go play with my LEGO bricks" instead of "I'm gonna go play legos"? that's three to many words
And they are the number one largest tire manufacturer in the world...
Much like we sometimes shop at Nordstrom, we never ever shop at NordstromS
How long did it take their little sister to take it apart?
Load More Replies...Oh my gosh a LOTR reference ! Here take a bucket of upvotes and get out of here ! Lmao
Load More Replies...There is a brand of pantyhose here called L'eggs. They come in a large plastic egg. My piano teacher's husband found a coupon for L'eggs in the newspaper, and took it to the grocery store, expecting 50¢ off a carton of large eggs.
LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS! LEGOS!
My bet is that it has to do with protecting their trademark. Hugely successful products can lose their trademarks when their product becomes the accepted name for that thing. That's why Johnson & Johnson still advertises "Band-Aid brand plastic strips." I'm sure our British friends are flabbergasted that the company calls them "plastic strips," not plasters.
Look, it's just quicker to tell your kid to pick up all his Legos than to tell him to pick up all his Lego bricks, Lego elements, and Lego minis.
Lego for a brick. I always talked about all my bricks so that would make many bricks Lego(s)?
I never had Lego as a kid, but if I had they would have been called Kmart Plastic Snap-Together Bricks
But what is the plural of Lego? If you have huge box of them what are you supposed to say?
Honestly, the plural of LEGO is LEGO. I do understand why people (it is generally the US) think it needs 'pluralising' 😆but that's the way it's actually meant to be and what is used by the majority of the world. We say 'put your LEGO away' to children (and non-children!). It's no different to sheep - you don't say sheeps! Well, unless you are Jeremy Clarkson trying to be funny... It's because it's a company name. Their brand, their product and it has meaning to that company. To quote LEGO "The name 'LEGO' is an abbreviation of the two Danish words “leg godt”, meaning “play well”. It's our name and it's our ideal.". It's not like a word that's been kicking around for centuries and develops over time and often differently across countries. Anyone saying legos is, technically, wrong. Is it of world-shattering importance? No... but companies do tend to be bothered about their branding. Doesn't hurt to say legos but doesn't hurt to get it right either.
Load More Replies...I believe they stress this to protect their trademarks. But to be honest, I don't really care and find it weird that people do. I refer to taxis instead of taxi cabs.. I refer to Band-Aids as such instead of adhesive bandages, or Band-Aid bandages. I'll still refer to them as Legos
Typical perpetuated incorrect grammar and spelling. This is why I feel no compunction in correcting people when they get things wrong.
What about Lego my eggo? that's a verb. / S Also common use for decades says this is wrong. One of those "language evolves over time" things. Parents all over the world are telling their kids to pick up their Legos. I doubt many are saying "Pick up your Lego elements". LOL
No idea what 'lego my eggo' is to be honest. Is that an American thing? What is eggo? Unfortunately, common use can be wrong. People get all sorts of phrases wrong (eg 'I could care less' - when the expression is actually 'I couldn't care less'). The company actually does get to decide what their company and/or product is called. it isn't like a general word in use that evolves over time - it's a brand and a chosen name that exists for a reason, and one with meaning to that company. They aren't going to change it to suit one country's preference just because they are used to saying it a different way. Sure they can't stop people saying it wrongly, that's true, but they don't have to like it. Doubt away but parents all over the world ARE saying pick up your LEGO (no additional word is needed) as that's what it's called to the vast majority of the world that exists outside the US. Call it what you want, fine, but it's LEGO to most people.
Load More Replies...That the female adjective. Lego is the male
Load More Replies...Ah but can't you say, "Leggo's" to say they belong to that brand; as in, "these sets are Leggo's."? Am I wrong here?
Yes, you are wrong. Reverse the order. 'These are LEGO sets'. 'These sets are LEGO'. It would be an awkwardly constructed sentence just to make the point and it still doesn't alter the reality of what they genuinely are called. The company has only ever called them LEGO, most countries only ever call them LEGO. The US can call them what they like but it doesn't make it accurate. Be a bit like me writing your name as Jessie just because that's how I've always spelt Jessie. I'd be wrong in your instance. Sometimes things are wrong, even when it's what you're used to.
Load More Replies...Not that I would disagree with the actual company, but it sure seems like it can be a noun too. The company is "Lego." Not big on parts of speech, but isn't that a proper noun?
Call it what you like but Lego is a contraction of leg godt in danish, which translates to play well and it doesn't get an s in the plural form. And whatever you do don't tell children to play wells:)
Load More Replies...But, the brand name is Lego, a noun. The bricks, parts, etc are Lego's.
Lego is obviously a noun. It's the name of the company and the product. Question is rather whether it is a countable or uncountable noun. We don't say "I'm going to eat rices for dinner"(even though we would almost certainly have more than 1 grain of rice) because rice is considered an uncountable noun. Hope that helps.
It doesn't help. Thr company explanation is the usage in most countries. 'Legos' is predominantly a US thing.
Load More Replies...Except when stepping on them barefoot. There is never a LEGO, there are always LEGOS.
Imagine having a life so free of any real issues that a "s" is actually something worth arguing over. Plus you have to love the usual BP US bashing from all the people in the perfect countries.
They're a company wanting to protect their brand identity, not exactly a surprise. I'm sure there are many US companies who'd be decidely pissed-off in similar circumstances. I've worked places where they got bothered for pettier things about their name. It's not really bashing the US, it's just that the US happens to be the ones who, for some reason, went done the 'legos' route.
Load More Replies...To be fair, it's common in the US. Not in other countries. Use it by all means but LEGO will still view you as getting it wrong.
Load More Replies...It isn't truly colloquialism though, it's not a word in the ordinary sense but a brand. A company name, the product they love. Formed from two words for a reason. It means something to them. They do mind. It's not like a word that has evolved and changed over time. It was LEGO when they were formed and it is LEGO today. That hasn't altered for them, or if we're being honest, for most of the world. The people disagreeing with legos are coming from countries where LEGO is the norm and it sounds positively weird to us to say legos as saying LEGO does to you. To be blunt (without wishing to be rude) legos is simply wrong. However, I get it's what the US is used to and habits are difficult to break, especially when they feel right.
Load More Replies...Companies define their brand though. It is owned by them. It isn't an ordinary word. If you're happy with using it incorrectly, fine. LEGO is hardly more difficult to say than legos. It's just clinging to a habit for no good reason other than 'but we always say that'.
Load More Replies...They manage it everywhere else. They're just known as LEGO, because they are LEGO. My nephew, aged 4, asked for a new LEGO set' for Christmas. If your son was saying something else that you knew or personally accepted was wrong, would you ignore that and not correct him? Of course you woud correct him. It is one of the ways children learn after all. Fine, it's commonly used incorrectly in the US so I can see why you would not bother but still doesn't make it accuarate to call them legos.
Load More Replies...It's not late. That's how the company has always referred to them. It's also thr norm in most countries, with 'Legos' predominantly being used in the US.
Load More Replies...Not in the land where Lego comes from. We paly with Lego blocks or just Lego.
Load More Replies...Had a Danish exchange student here in US. They burn most garbage(some kind of stack cleaning tech to reduce pollutants), and use the heat to power steam boilers for home heat.
Kinda old news this one. It's very well known the national grid vary productivity around TV viewing habits, especially sport. It used to be the soap operas as well until online streaming meant you can catch up whenever.
So did they start this after the movie Airplane came out or before?
So what did I’m you think their official title is? Space Olfactory Specialist . Come on give us your ideas.
I was reading about this, it's amazing how potent the smell is, they put very little in there and it still smells strong.
They made a short film in 2013 using atoms as well https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=oSCX78-8-q0
No, no no! Canada saved the hostages, our US embassy workers. The CIA had very little to do with it. The movie Argo assigns all the heroics done by Canada to Americans. It's wrong.
Note: this post originally had 93 images. It’s been shortened to the top 50 images based on user votes.
They're all true, I read them on the internet. [ /s because it's needed too often ]
Load More Replies...They're all true, I read them on the internet. [ /s because it's needed too often ]
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