50 Intriguing “Today I Learned” Facts That You Probably Didn’t Learn In School (New Facts)
Learning never ends! Or, well, at least it shouldn’t. Even if you’ve finished school or college, it doesn’t mean that you can kick back and relax for the rest of your life. Your mind needs to work out just like your body. Not to mention how deeply satisfying it is to discover new things about the world.
All that it takes is a dash of curiosity, a bit of patience, and—potentially—the support of a massively popular online community. That’s where the ‘Today I Learned’ or TIL subreddit comes in. Its 34.4 million eager members regularly share all the new things they’ve recently learned. We’ve collected some of their freshest and most astonishing insights for you, Pandas. Scroll down to check them out… and don’t forget to share them with your friends.
TIL about a phenomenon called “delayed implantation” in grizzly bears. The embryo will start gestation only after the mama bear has gained enough weight to avoid death by starvation during hibernation.
TIL that the Australian Ibis (aka bin chickens) have learned how to eat the invasive and poisonous cane toad. They do this by picking the toad up, shaking it around to get it to expell its poison and empty is poison sacs, then washing the poison off with water.
The long and short of it is that we have to consistently take care of our brains if we want to live a healthy, happy, and high-quality life. A very wide range of factors contribute to this. For one, the positive relationships we build with the people we care about are paramount. Strong social networks make us more resilient to stress. On the flip side, loneliness is absolutely awful for our bodies, minds, and longevity.
On top of that, you have to get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious food, and get lots of movement throughout the week. Your body and mind are intrinsically linked. No matter how intelligent and skilled you are, your brain won’t thank you if all you ever do is stay cooped up inside, staring at screens and eating junk food.
TIL that the leader of the Crips, Stanley Williams, lived a double life where during the day, he was an anti-gang youth counselor, and at night acted as the overboss of the Crips, committing violent gang crimes against the Bloods.
TIL of the antimony pill, aka the everlasting pill, used in the 18th and early 19th century for stomach relief. It was reusable after pooping it out, making it very cost effective. Entire families used the same pill, which some times went through multiple generations.
Aside from investing in your relationships and taking better care of your health, you ought to give your mind some direct training as well. We all know how much better life is when we’re feeling fresh and sharp, not groggy and slow. But a big part of feeling bright and capable comes from taking the time and energy to try new things and learn new skills.
You could go for something as simple and fun as reading a book, putting together a puzzle, solving a crossword, or trying your hand at Sudoku. You could give learning a new language a try or pick an interesting subject to research, whether that’s something to do with psychology, history, science, or anything else.
Or you could pick up a new hobby to try out. Like painting, dancing, playing an instrument, or putting together an entire vintage car from scratch in your garage. It should be something that’s new to you but that you feel at least slightly enthusiastic about. Doing things that we find hard improves our willpower. However, we shouldn’t go through life having to force every single thing that we do. There’s a balance to be found here.
TIL: A US Air Force cadet was reading about WWII when he stumbled upon the name of a janitor that worked at his USAF Academy. That’s how it was discovered at the academy that that janitor was a Medal of Honor recipient.
TIL that in 2016, Burger King opened a spa in one of its restaurants in Helsinki, Finland. Customers could enjoy a Whopper while sitting in the 15-seater sauna room, and the spa also featured showers, PlayStation, TVs, and beverages and the price was $283/person.
Dr. John N. Morris, the director of social and health policy at the Institute for Aging Research, which is affiliated with the Harvard Medical School, urges people to practice new and challenging activities.
“Eventually, your cognitive skills will wane and thinking and memory will be more challenging, so you need to build up your reserve. Embracing a new activity that also forces you to think and learn and requires ongoing practice can be one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy,” he said.
TIL that sperm whales can generate sounds up to 230 decibels – far beyond the fatality threshold for humans.
Morris stressed the fact that you cannot improve your memory if you don’t work at it. “The more time you devote to engaging your brain, the more it benefits. It is the constant repetition of working to improve, and not the quest for mastery, that can have the greatest impact.”
Which of the facts in this list surprised you the most? Were there any that you’d already heard about before, dear Pandas? Let us know in the comment section. In the meantime, if your curiosity is all fired up and you’d like to learn some more TIL facts about the world, feel free to read Bored Panda’s earlier posts.
TIL that Nelson Rockefeller, once Vice President of the United States, died at age 70 of a heart attack rumoured to be caused during sex with his 25 year old assistant. The New York Magazine quipped: “Nelson thought he was coming, but he was going”.
TIL the next periodical emergence of the 13- and 17-year cicada broods is 2024. The last time these insects co-emerged was 221 years ago while Thomas Jefferson was president.
TIL that Sigourney Weaver earned $1,000,000 and a share of the profits for Aliens (1986), whereas she earned only $35,000 for Alien (1979).
TIL Korean astronauts eat a version of kimchi that has been radiated to kill all of the microorganisms.
TIL that Okinoshima Island in Japan strictly forbids women to step ashore due to local traditions. The entire island is a sacred Shinto kami, and over 80,000 artifacts left as offerings have been recovered. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017.
TIL that the world’s second most expensive building is The Clock Towers complex in Mecca, which had a total construction cost of 15 billion USD. It was built by the Saudi Binladin Group, whose founder is the father of Osama Bin Laden. Construction began in 2002, and opened in 2012.
TIL that in 1973, two brothers, an 18-year-old and a 10-year-old stayed in Tom Sawyer’s River at Disneyland past closing time. When they tried to swim to leave, the older brother carried his younger brother, who didn’t know how to swim, on his back and drowned. The younger survived.
TIL There is a a parasite that can infect the human brain and alter our behaviour. It can cause road rage, increase chances of dying in a road accident and much more.
TIL: Maryland was a slave state that sided with the Union, but in 1864, they actually had a referendum to abolish slavery. It narrowly failed – until the absentee ballots from the soldiers at the front came in, at which point it overwhelmingly succeeded.
TIL that when the first rail bridge over the Mississippi River was being planned, riverboat operators pushed for rigid standards in hopes of making the bridge impossible. Instead, the bridge pioneered multiple engineering techniques and still carries road and rail traffic 150 years later.
TIL David Bowie ended the Ziggy Stardust Persona, and practically fired The Spiders from Mars on stage at their final performance in London’s Hammersmith Odeon on July 3rd, 1973. To the fans, and bands disbelief, “Not only is it the last show of the tour, but, it’s the last show we’ll ever do”.
TIL in 2015, Billy Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Cartoon Network, saying in the series Regular Show, a character who cheats at video games infringed on his likeness. Years later, the legitimacy of a number of his records was called into question, leading to them being stripped.
TIL that Bobby Driscoll, the voice of Disney’s Peter Pan, lost his film contract due to puberty related acne, turned to drugs, went to prison, hung out with Andy Warhol, and died penniless and alone in an abandoned building in the East Village.
TIL that sumo wrestlers, despite eating 10,000+ calories daily, have very little visceral fat thanks to their training which is so intense they can lose over 10 pounds of sweat in a single workout.
TIL if you watch the first season of ‘Happy Days’, you’ll notice the Fonz wears penny loafers and windbreakers for many scenes. ABC only allowed the character to wear his later trademark leather jacket if he was standing next to his motorcycle.
TIL that a man hijacked a United flight out of Denver, requesting $500,000 and 4 parachutes, and jumping out over Utah – mimicking the infamous D.B. Cooper case and getting caught only because he bragged about being able to do it to an acquaintance just prior.
TIL while most American sports are variations on older ones, volleyball, skateboarding, snowboarding and ultimate frisbee are completely American inventions
TIL that in the UK, the number of women (103,575) who applied to study law at the undergraduate level in 2022 was nearly double the number of men (51,865) who did.
TIL In 1995, Jennifer Fairgate was found dead in a locked Oslo hotel room with a gunshot to the head. Ballistics showed that suicide was not possible. Yet there were fingerprints and strangely her clothing labels were all removed making it impossible to ID her. Theories speculate she was a spy.
TIL that Hong Kong actor Michael Chan is well-known for his various triad (gangster) roles and martial arts movies. It was later discovered he was actually the No. 2 boss in the 14k Triad.
TIL when George Miller was casting Mad Max: Fury Road, his first choice actor to play Max was Eminem who only turned down the role because he didn’t want to leave his home state.
TIL The Academic quarter was established in the early 18th century to accommodate students and professors who didn’t own pocket watches. It gave them extra time to arrive after hearing the church’s clock strike the hour.
TIL that a steel bridge in India is being dangerously eroded by pedestrians spitting on it.
TIL that, of the 50 oldest people on the planet, only ONE of them is a male.
TIL Baby Aspirin should not be given to babies as it can cause Reyes Syndrome.
TIL during WWII, RAF bomber command suffered a casualty rate of 59.1% and a fatality rate of 44.4%.
TIL In 1979 a rabbit, hissing and baring its teeth, swam up to Jimmy Carter’s boat while he was fishing. He shooed it away with a paddle, but the incident damaged his reputation.
TIL a 17-year-old boy blew up a Starbucks in 2009 to emulate Tyler Durden.
TIL: Eating too many Sour Skittles in one sitting (or any sour candy) can make your tongue shed a layer of skin.
TIL There was a concentration camp on British soil in Alderney. It is known as “The Island of Silence” as not much is known about the exact atrocities that took place.
[ad_2]
Learning never ends! Or, well, at least it shouldn’t. Even if you’ve finished school or college, it doesn’t mean that you can kick back and relax for the rest of your life. Your mind needs to work out just like your body. Not to mention how deeply satisfying it is to discover new things about the world.
All that it takes is a dash of curiosity, a bit of patience, and—potentially—the support of a massively popular online community. That’s where the ‘Today I Learned’ or TIL subreddit comes in. Its 34.4 million eager members regularly share all the new things they’ve recently learned. We’ve collected some of their freshest and most astonishing insights for you, Pandas. Scroll down to check them out… and don’t forget to share them with your friends.
TIL about a phenomenon called "delayed implantation" in grizzly bears. The embryo will start gestation only after the mama bear has gained enough weight to avoid death by starvation during hibernation.
TIL that the Australian Ibis (aka bin chickens) have learned how to eat the invasive and poisonous cane toad. They do this by picking the toad up, shaking it around to get it to expell its poison and empty is poison sacs, then washing the poison off with water.
The long and short of it is that we have to consistently take care of our brains if we want to live a healthy, happy, and high-quality life. A very wide range of factors contribute to this. For one, the positive relationships we build with the people we care about are paramount. Strong social networks make us more resilient to stress. On the flip side, loneliness is absolutely awful for our bodies, minds, and longevity.
On top of that, you have to get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious food, and get lots of movement throughout the week. Your body and mind are intrinsically linked. No matter how intelligent and skilled you are, your brain won’t thank you if all you ever do is stay cooped up inside, staring at screens and eating junk food.
TIL that the leader of the Crips, Stanley Williams, lived a double life where during the day, he was an anti-gang youth counselor, and at night acted as the overboss of the Crips, committing violent gang crimes against the Bloods.
TIL of the antimony pill, aka the everlasting pill, used in the 18th and early 19th century for stomach relief. It was reusable after pooping it out, making it very cost effective. Entire families used the same pill, which some times went through multiple generations.
Aside from investing in your relationships and taking better care of your health, you ought to give your mind some direct training as well. We all know how much better life is when we’re feeling fresh and sharp, not groggy and slow. But a big part of feeling bright and capable comes from taking the time and energy to try new things and learn new skills.
You could go for something as simple and fun as reading a book, putting together a puzzle, solving a crossword, or trying your hand at Sudoku. You could give learning a new language a try or pick an interesting subject to research, whether that’s something to do with psychology, history, science, or anything else.
Or you could pick up a new hobby to try out. Like painting, dancing, playing an instrument, or putting together an entire vintage car from scratch in your garage. It should be something that’s new to you but that you feel at least slightly enthusiastic about. Doing things that we find hard improves our willpower. However, we shouldn’t go through life having to force every single thing that we do. There’s a balance to be found here.
TIL: A US Air Force cadet was reading about WWII when he stumbled upon the name of a janitor that worked at his USAF Academy. That’s how it was discovered at the academy that that janitor was a Medal of Honor recipient.
TIL that in 2016, Burger King opened a spa in one of its restaurants in Helsinki, Finland. Customers could enjoy a Whopper while sitting in the 15-seater sauna room, and the spa also featured showers, PlayStation, TVs, and beverages and the price was $283/person.
Dr. John N. Morris, the director of social and health policy at the Institute for Aging Research, which is affiliated with the Harvard Medical School, urges people to practice new and challenging activities.
“Eventually, your cognitive skills will wane and thinking and memory will be more challenging, so you need to build up your reserve. Embracing a new activity that also forces you to think and learn and requires ongoing practice can be one of the best ways to keep the brain healthy,” he said.
TIL that sperm whales can generate sounds up to 230 decibels - far beyond the fatality threshold for humans.
Morris stressed the fact that you cannot improve your memory if you don’t work at it. "The more time you devote to engaging your brain, the more it benefits. It is the constant repetition of working to improve, and not the quest for mastery, that can have the greatest impact.”
Which of the facts in this list surprised you the most? Were there any that you’d already heard about before, dear Pandas? Let us know in the comment section. In the meantime, if your curiosity is all fired up and you’d like to learn some more TIL facts about the world, feel free to read Bored Panda’s earlier posts.
TIL that Nelson Rockefeller, once Vice President of the United States, died at age 70 of a heart attack rumoured to be caused during sex with his 25 year old assistant. The New York Magazine quipped: "Nelson thought he was coming, but he was going".
TIL the next periodical emergence of the 13- and 17-year cicada broods is 2024. The last time these insects co-emerged was 221 years ago while Thomas Jefferson was president.
TIL that Sigourney Weaver earned $1,000,000 and a share of the profits for Aliens (1986), whereas she earned only $35,000 for Alien (1979).
TIL Korean astronauts eat a version of kimchi that has been radiated to kill all of the microorganisms.
TIL that Okinoshima Island in Japan strictly forbids women to step ashore due to local traditions. The entire island is a sacred Shinto kami, and over 80,000 artifacts left as offerings have been recovered. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 2017.
TIL that the world's second most expensive building is The Clock Towers complex in Mecca, which had a total construction cost of 15 billion USD. It was built by the Saudi Binladin Group, whose founder is the father of Osama Bin Laden. Construction began in 2002, and opened in 2012.
TIL that in 1973, two brothers, an 18-year-old and a 10-year-old stayed in Tom Sawyer's River at Disneyland past closing time. When they tried to swim to leave, the older brother carried his younger brother, who didn't know how to swim, on his back and drowned. The younger survived.
TIL There is a a parasite that can infect the human brain and alter our behaviour. It can cause road rage, increase chances of dying in a road accident and much more.
TIL: Maryland was a slave state that sided with the Union, but in 1864, they actually had a referendum to abolish slavery. It narrowly failed - until the absentee ballots from the soldiers at the front came in, at which point it overwhelmingly succeeded.
TIL that when the first rail bridge over the Mississippi River was being planned, riverboat operators pushed for rigid standards in hopes of making the bridge impossible. Instead, the bridge pioneered multiple engineering techniques and still carries road and rail traffic 150 years later.
TIL David Bowie ended the Ziggy Stardust Persona, and practically fired The Spiders from Mars on stage at their final performance in London’s Hammersmith Odeon on July 3rd, 1973. To the fans, and bands disbelief, “Not only is it the last show of the tour, but, it’s the last show we’ll ever do”.
TIL in 2015, Billy Mitchell filed a lawsuit against Cartoon Network, saying in the series Regular Show, a character who cheats at video games infringed on his likeness. Years later, the legitimacy of a number of his records was called into question, leading to them being stripped.
TIL that Bobby Driscoll, the voice of Disney's Peter Pan, lost his film contract due to puberty related acne, turned to drugs, went to prison, hung out with Andy Warhol, and died penniless and alone in an abandoned building in the East Village.
TIL that sumo wrestlers, despite eating 10,000+ calories daily, have very little visceral fat thanks to their training which is so intense they can lose over 10 pounds of sweat in a single workout.
TIL if you watch the first season of 'Happy Days', you'll notice the Fonz wears penny loafers and windbreakers for many scenes. ABC only allowed the character to wear his later trademark leather jacket if he was standing next to his motorcycle.
TIL that a man hijacked a United flight out of Denver, requesting $500,000 and 4 parachutes, and jumping out over Utah - mimicking the infamous D.B. Cooper case and getting caught only because he bragged about being able to do it to an acquaintance just prior.
TIL while most American sports are variations on older ones, volleyball, skateboarding, snowboarding and ultimate frisbee are completely American inventions
TIL that in the UK, the number of women (103,575) who applied to study law at the undergraduate level in 2022 was nearly double the number of men (51,865) who did.
TIL In 1995, Jennifer Fairgate was found dead in a locked Oslo hotel room with a gunshot to the head. Ballistics showed that suicide was not possible. Yet there were fingerprints and strangely her clothing labels were all removed making it impossible to ID her. Theories speculate she was a spy.
TIL that Hong Kong actor Michael Chan is well-known for his various triad (gangster) roles and martial arts movies. It was later discovered he was actually the No. 2 boss in the 14k Triad.
TIL when George Miller was casting Mad Max: Fury Road, his first choice actor to play Max was Eminem who only turned down the role because he didn't want to leave his home state.
TIL The Academic quarter was established in the early 18th century to accommodate students and professors who didn't own pocket watches. It gave them extra time to arrive after hearing the church's clock strike the hour.
TIL that a steel bridge in India is being dangerously eroded by pedestrians spitting on it.
TIL that, of the 50 oldest people on the planet, only ONE of them is a male.
TIL Baby Aspirin should not be given to babies as it can cause Reyes Syndrome.
TIL during WWII, RAF bomber command suffered a casualty rate of 59.1% and a fatality rate of 44.4%.
TIL In 1979 a rabbit, hissing and baring its teeth, swam up to Jimmy Carter’s boat while he was fishing. He shooed it away with a paddle, but the incident damaged his reputation.
TIL a 17-year-old boy blew up a Starbucks in 2009 to emulate Tyler Durden.
TIL: Eating too many Sour Skittles in one sitting (or any sour candy) can make your tongue shed a layer of skin.
TIL There was a concentration camp on British soil in Alderney. It is known as "The Island of Silence" as not much is known about the exact atrocities that took place.
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