Most of us have a small Ravenclaw inside of us and we adore learning new things about the world, especially if they’re random facts that completely blow our minds. A lot of us are still spending loads of time working and studying from home which leaves plenty of time for random browsing—so we’re picking up semi-useless but fun new facts about the world every day.

Like the fact that the American Gothic painting shows a farmer and his daughter, not his wife. Or how Gandalf carries his pipe in his staff.

You’re probably aware of the ‘I was today years old’ jokes that people post online when they want to share something weird that they just learned with everyone. Well, these jokes have made a resurgence during the coronavirus lockdown and there are plenty of new ones to make our jaws drop. Bored Panda has collected some of the best ‘I was today years old’ for you to enjoy (and to have cool random facts to drop during your next Zoom cocktail party), so scroll down and don’t forget to upvote your faves.

#1

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

omynthe Report

#2

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

todayyearsoldig Report

kitty.boom
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I read about it years ago, but didn't know they sent him a painting. That's cool and sweet too!

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So, since we’re talking about random facts today, let’s share some other cool ones, shall we? For instance, did you know that one study found that dogs prefer to align themselves “along the North-South axis under calm magnetic field conditions” when they have to go number two? Researchers studied 70 dogs over two years and this was the first time that magnetic sensitivity was proven in dogs. Science is weird and wonderful.

Another brain-melting fact is that for significant periods of time during the Stone Age, there were fewer than 1.5k people living in Central Europe. Yeah, that sounds unbelievable. IFL Science made a great analogy about how you could fit all of those people on a modern mid-sized cruise ship.

#4

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

_youhadonejob1 Report

Hans
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This typically is not the best idea, though. Rather use a socket wrench with bits and operate it really carefully. Using special oils to loosen a screw firstbor to de-rust it can also help. Merr mere force likely destroy the screw!

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#5

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

soapachu Report

glowworm2
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I didn't know that because I'm more familiar with the purple kind in the stores. I didn't know that that's how they grow. BTW, this is the white version. The purple version starts out purple from the beginning.

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Speaking of modern times, if you’ve ever complained about TV ads being too long, just wait until you realize that Old Spice made a 14-hour promo. Their ad ran on December 18, 2018 in São Paulo, Brazil, and won the Guinness World Record for the longest TV ad ever. You can find the abridged version right here (don’t worry, it’s just over 3 minutes, not 3 hours, long).

#7

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

sassycrass Report

Ani Archeron
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Measles targets memory cells?? Thanks to every scientist who ever put an ounce of thought into creating that life-saving vaccine.

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#11

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

Shxperienced Report

Hans
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The English are unchallenged in having absurd units of measurement.

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#12

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

bakbakbakkerr Report

Not-so-MadMax
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Oh god, they really should talk to the people making cartoons. I have been gravely misinformed in my youth...

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#13

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

Jordan_Coombe Report

Agnes Jekyll
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Is it just me or do they all look like cabbage patch kids?

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#15

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

upstephanie Report

#17

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

ThatEricAlper Report

chi-wei shen
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

The painter's sister Nan who modelled as the woman in the paintintg, perhaps embarrassed about being depicted as the wife of a man twice her age (modelled by a dentist), started telling people that Wood had envisioned the couple as father and daughter, not husband and wife. The painter Grant Wood himself remained vague on this point.

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#19

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

SheaCoulee Report

#20

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

bryan_spoon Report

chi-wei shen
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Not parking in front of a fire hydrant should be common sense.

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#21

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

Kokomothegreat Report

Tardis42
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Nope. Nope. Nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

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#22

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

gracebeverley Report

DE Ray
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

And if you pick them young enough, they're edible.

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#23

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

JayyKess Report

#24

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

TechConnectify Report

David Jeu
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

This all make sense now. Btw love technology connections channel.:)

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See Also on Bored Panda
#25

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

sarahmcgphoto Report

Flisey
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I was told "bumped his head in the middle of the bed" was really "his wife killed him'. My grandmother was one dark woman

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#26

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

todayyearsoldig Report

Untitled_Goose_Man
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

How old were you when you realized Bikini Bottom is under Bikini Atoll, where the US tested hundreds of nuclear weapons? Spongebob is a nuclear mutation

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#27

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

RavenElyseTV Report

Foxxy (The Original)
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

I have known this for ages but forget to do it and always ended up cooking more pasta than needed.

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#28

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

BitchItsSpice Report

Troux
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

They taste identical, so don't bother going out of your way for it.

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#29

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

SlTHBARNES Report

Untitled_Goose_Man
Community Member
3 years ago Created by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

Jesus Luke, aren't you supposed to be able to sense these things??

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#30

Today-Years-Old-People-Share-Facts

kevinddaly Report

Note: this post originally had 51 images. It’s been shortened to the top 30 images based on user votes.