#TIL
TIL about the Lickey Incline which is located south of Birmingham and has a 26.5% gradient
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lickey_Incline
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ev6z7/til_about_the_lickey_incline_which_is_located/
TIL that a Pilot in 1990 was sucked out of the plane window for 20 minutes and survived.
https://www.historydefined.net/tim-lancaster/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18euwfn/til_that_a_pilot_in_1990_was_sucked_out_of_the/
#TIL an interesting #Python "trick". Someone suggested that replacing `sys.stdin` with `open(0)` is shorter & eliminates need to `import sys`.
While that's great for code golf, obfuscated code, etc., it's impractical IRL. E.g.…
• Using `sys.stdin` is much more readable.
• If one isn't careful with `open(0)`, standard input could get closed & difficult (impossible?) to reopen in the same process. (Closing can be avoided by using `closefd=True` with `open()`.)
TIL that in 1960, Sir Edmund Hillary went on an expedition to find evidence of the yeti. He returned with two scraps of fur that locals claimed was “yeti fur,” but was later found to be from the pelt of a rare Tibetan blue bear.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tibetan_blue_bear
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eupp5/til_that_in_1960_sir_edmund_hillary_went_on_an/
TIL that while the Theme from Star Trek does not play its lyrics when Star Trek airs, it does have unheard lyrics written by Gene Rodenberry, the creator of the franchise. As such, the Rodenberry gets paid every time an episode of ST:TOS airs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theme_from_Star_Trek#Lyrics
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eu5su/til_that_while_the_theme_from_star_trek_does_not/
TIL that in 1996 a woman by the name of Georgiana Doerschuck ran for President. Her entire campaign platform was on banning computers. She received a measly 140 votes in the New Hampshire Primary.
https://www.makeuseof.com/tag/presidential-candidate-wanted-ban-computers/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eu4z8/til_that_in_1996_a_woman_by_the_name_of_georgiana/
TIL that Monty Python’s Life of Brian was “saved” when George Harrison randomly stepped up to finance its production
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2019-10-10/george-harrison-monty-python-handmade-films-festival
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18et0kh/til_that_monty_pythons_life_of_brian_was_saved/
TIL that in 2018 the Church of Latter Day Saints socially transitioned away from the name Mormon because it causes confusion about who they are and they find it offensive.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mormon_(word)
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ervi8/til_that_in_2018_the_church_of_latter_day_saints/
TIL that prior to electricity, calcium oxide, or quicklime, was used in theaters to light the stage. This is where the term “in the limelight” came from.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calcium_oxide?wprov=sfti1#Uses
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18erqlm/til_that_prior_to_electricity_calcium_oxide_or/
Til that former middleweight world champion, Carlos ‘Escopeta’ Monzon, finished his 14 year career on an 80 fight unbeaten streak spanning 13 years
https://boxingundefeated.com/boxers/carlos-monzon/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18erpb7/til_that_former_middleweight_world_champion/
#InfinityPool #TIL @MayhamMonday
Just finished watching 'Infinity Pool' (2023). TIL David Cronenberg's son Brandon wrote & directed...WOWZA
Today I learned that ants can theoretically survive a fall from practically any height since an ant falling through the air only has a terminal velocity of about 4 mph.
https://www.britannica.com/one-good-fact/what-animal-can-survive-a-fall-from-any-height
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18er9xt/today_i_learned_that_ants_can_theoretically/
TIL director Michel Gondry found Jim Carrey's emotional state after a breakup "so beautiful, so broken" that he asked him to stay that way for one year to fit his character in Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_Sunshine_of_the_Spotless_Mind#Cast
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eq216/til_director_michel_gondry_found_jim_carreys/
TIL that it takes over a week to make a single jelly bean
https://www.rd.com/article/how-long-takes-make-jelly-beans/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18epz8i/til_that_it_takes_over_a_week_to_make_a_single/
tastes horrible but wow does a good job
#til
TIL before "Max" (Multi Amenity eXpress), a Hitachi and Kawasaki's bullet train, went into retirement after 24 years of service as Japan's last double decker 240km/hr train, it had "last run" livery. Train fans and train operator employees bid the 1,634 passenger train farewell, a customary practice
https://japanrailtimes.japanrailcafe.com.sg/web/article/news/max-last-run
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18epnbc/til_before_max_multi_amenity_express_a_hitachi/
#TIL how to add some style to my site's Atom feed thanks to @andrewstiefel
TIL many Asian countries use fractal-like floor plans to ensure every room gets a window
https://youtu.be/4grR3qoSV90?feature=shared&t=1000
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eolwz/til_many_asian_countries_use_fractallike_floor/
TIL not only is there Gary Oldman and Gary Newman, there is also an accomplished Hollywood producer named Gary Goldman.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Goldman
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18en37p/til_not_only_is_there_gary_oldman_and_gary_newman/
TIL there were about 4,500 lynchings in the USA from 1883-1941 - mostly blacks in the South, and whites outside of it. This averages to 78 killings per year throughout the entire country. The population of the United States was 50-130 million from 1880-1940.
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2378023119841780
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18emnxf/til_there_were_about_4500_lynchings_in_the_usa/
TIL Woody Allen the 4-time Oscar winner and 16-time Oscar nominated married his step daughter when Woody Allen was 62 and his step daughter was 27 making her 35 years younger than him.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woody_Allen_sexual_abuse_allegation
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18emimz/til_woody_allen_the_4time_oscar_winner_and_16time/
TIL Tesla’s OSHA violations made up 75 percent of all the violations among the top 10. From 2014 to 2018, Tesla’s auto production facility in Fremont, California, was issued a total of 54 OSHA violations: three times more than all the top 10 auto plants in the U.S. combined.
https://www.donaldwbedelljr.com/blog/2019/03/tesla-surpasses-all-competitors-combined-in-osha-vi…
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18em9bm/til_teslas_osha_violations_made_up_75_percent_of/
TIL that the first face seen on a television screen was that of "Stooky Bill"—a chalk-white ventriloquist's dummy used by Scottish inventor John Logie Baird for his experiments to transmit a televised image. A dummy was used because the lights of this first TV studio were too hot for humans to bear.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000sq69
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18em8m9/til_that_the_first_face_seen_on_a_television/
TIL that bacteria outnumber human cells in an adult human body by a ratio of 10:1 although these bacteria account for only about 1 to 3 percent of the body's mass
https://www.nih.gov/news-events/news-releases/nih-human-microbiome-project-defines-normal-bacterial-makeup-body
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18em2ac/til_that_bacteria_outnumber_human_cells_in_an/
TIL about a device called the beauty micrometer, which was used to measure facial features to determine how much makeup can be used and was invented by beautician Max Factor
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_micrometer
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18elpvb/til_about_a_device_called_the_beauty_micrometer/
TIL that 58% of people who leave The Church of Jesus Christ Of Latter Day Saints become atheist, agnostic or nonreligious
https://byustudies.byu.edu/article/who-is-leaving-the-church-demographic-predictors-of-exlatter-day-saint-status-in-the-pew-religious-landscape-survey/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eljfy/til_that_58_of_people_who_leave_the_church_of/
TIL on March 24, 1975, Alex Mitchell, from the UK died after laughing for 25 minutes while watching the "Kung Fu Kapers" episode of The Goodies, featuring a kilt-clad Scotsman battling with his bagpipes. His widow sent The Goodies a letter thanking them for making Mitchell's final moments so happy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Death_from_laughter
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18el848/til_on_march_24_1975_alex_mitchell_from_the_uk/
TIL Helen Palmer Geisel, Dr. Seuss' wife, committed suicide after Seuss had an affair with another woman while she was battling illness. 8 months after she died, Dr. Suess married the woman he was having the affair with.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Palmer_(writer)
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ekemt/til_helen_palmer_geisel_dr_seuss_wife_committed/
TIL about Angus MacAskill, the world's tallest non-pathological human and supposedly strongest human. He was 8 feet (2.44 meters) tall, was rumored to have lifted a 2,800 pound anchor to his chest, worked for P.T. Barnum's circus and at the. request of Queen Victoria, gave her a demonstration.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angus_MacAskill?wprov=sfti1
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ek4i5/til_about_angus_macaskill_the_worlds_tallest/
#TIL what all the markings on the city sidewalk mean -
RED: electric power lines
ORANGE: telecommunications
YELLOW: gaseous or combustive materials
GREEN: sewers and drain lines
BLUE: potable water
PURPLE: reclaimed water
PINK: temporary markings
WHITE: proposed excavation areas
h/t 99% Invisible
TIL tourists often cry when they sit on the coffee shop couch from Friends during guided tours of Warner Bros. Studios.
https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friends
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ejdt0/til_tourists_often_cry_when_they_sit_on_the/
TIL Admiral George Dewey withdrew his candidacy for the 1900 election after he was quoted to have said that being President was easy because he would just follow the orders of Congress
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1900_Democratic_National_Convention#Declined
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eil12/til_admiral_george_dewey_withdrew_his_candidacy/
TIL Prior to 1970 most Pistachios were dyed red!
https://www.thespruceeats.com/red-pistachios-overview-1807049
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ei5sr/til_prior_to_1970_most_pistachios_were_dyed_red/
#TodayILearned an interesting fact about #whales
(on the first screenshot, the scientist actually says "whale", not "well". it's a subtitle autogeneration mistake)
TIL social media pundits widely criticized the Mr. Beast "1,000 Blind People See For The First Time" video as an extravagant philanthropic stunt and accused him of being "charitable for views."
https://www.nbcnews.com/pop-culture/viral/mr-beast-charity-stunt-criticism-blind-cure-rcna68275
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ehxsy/til_social_media_pundits_widely_criticized_the_mr/
TIL that the vaguely named vegetable oil is not derived from corn, wheat, or a variety of other vegetables but almost always soybean oil.
https://www.thespruceeats.com/what-is-vegetable-oil-5201006#:~:text=Any%20oil%20made%20from%20plants,it's%20almost%20always%20soybean%20oil.
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ehu9r/til_that_the_vaguely_named_vegetable_oil_is_not/
TIL that whales evolved from terrestrial animals, and are most closely related to hippopotamuses
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale?wprov=sfla1
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ehj3d/til_that_whales_evolved_from_terrestrial_animals/
TIL with a "Constant acceleration" space ship, at 1G acceleration you could travel the diameter of the milky way (105,000 Light years) in a short 12 years.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_travel_under_constant_acceleration
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ehda2/til_with_a_constant_acceleration_space_ship_at_1g/
TIL Whamageddon - a game played during the 24 days before Christmas in which players try to go from 1 - 24 December without hearing "Last Christmas" by Wham!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whamageddon
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ehaia/til_whamageddon_a_game_played_during_the_24_days/
TIL only one person correctly guessed who shot Mr. Burns in the Simpson’s 1995 contest. The person made a post online and the writers wanted to give them a special gift, but they were unable to find the anonymous poster and on the DVD commentary, they were still searching for the individual
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_Shot_Mr._Burns%3F
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eglhx/til_only_one_person_correctly_guessed_who_shot_mr/
TIL Canton Avenue in Pittsburgh, PA is the steepest officially recorded street in the United States, boasting a 37% grade in its hill.
https://uncoveringpa.com/canton-avenue-pittsburgh
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eglca/til_canton_avenue_in_pittsburgh_pa_is_the/
TIL Tom Cruise ended his marriages with Mimi Rogers, Nicole Kidman, and Katie Holmes when they each turned 33. Additionally, each ex-wife was 11 years younger than the previous one.
http://www.independent.ie/style/celebrity/celebrity-features/the-truth-about-tom-cruise-16-things-you-probably-didnt-know-36135794.html
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18eei68/til_tom_cruise_ended_his_marriages_with_mimi/
TIL Jingle Bells was originally written to be a Thanksgiving song and the lyrics don't make any reference to Christmas, instead focusing on sleigh racing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jingle_Bells
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18edw2o/til_jingle_bells_was_originally_written_to_be_a/
Vous le saviez qu’on pouvait mettre des contrôles de formulaire dans un élément legend ? Moi non 😅
#TIL #regex `/\p{RGI_Emoji}/v` via https://github.com/sindresorhus/has-emoji/blob/f8a1f367ecf8e59ec1d71eb18175d7f9ef08bf0d/index.js#L1C30-L1C31 which leads to https://v8.dev/features/regexp-v-flag
- "The `v` flag enables all the good parts of the `u` flag, but with additional features and improvements"
- `RGI_Emoji`: “the subset of all valid emoji (characters and sequences) recommended for general interchange”
- "Although properties of strings are currently gated on the new `v` flag, we plan to eventually make them available in `u` mode as well."
TIL the least profitable NFL team (Buffalo - $65 million) is more profitable than the most profitable EPL club (Manchester City - $59 million).
https://www.sportico.com/leagues/football/2023/nfl-epl-profits-comparison-1234737931/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e7e1d/til_the_least_profitable_nfl_team_buffalo_65/
TIL an episode of Peppa Pig was banned in Australia because it taught children that "spiders can't hurt you", because Australian spiders can actually hurt you
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2017/sep/05/peppa-pig-spiders-cant-hurt-you-episode-pulled-off-air-in-australia-again
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e6km5/til_an_episode_of_peppa_pig_was_banned_in/
TIL that the reason mint tastes cold is that menthol activates a protein called TRPM8 in your nerve cells that normally respond to cold. It is the only food that does do. (Although capsaicin, similarly, activates a different protein, VR1, that senses heat.)
https://www.northcuttdental.com/why-mint-feels-cold-other-flavor-mysteries
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e5qr5/til_that_the_reason_mint_tastes_cold_is_that/
TIL that when you buy gold today it was produced and send to you by space through a supernova. Even if there is plenty of gold close to the earth core, we can not reach it. So the gold that we know... is the gold from the stars.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gold#:~:text=Gold%20is%20thought%20to%20have,which%20the%20Solar%20System%20formed.
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e50vn/til_that_when_you_buy_gold_today_it_was_produced/
TIL Ada Lovelace died from uterine cancer at the age of 36
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/who-was-ada-lovelace-25830687/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e21bt/til_ada_lovelace_died_from_uterine_cancer_at_the/
Sup nerds, what fun shit did you learn this week? #til
TIL about the “Rawalpindi Experiments” where British Soldiers tested the effects of mustard gas on 20,000 Indians in the early 1930s
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rawalpindi_experiments
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18e12mh/til_about_the_rawalpindi_experiments_where/
TIL : Cashews are related to poison ivy and eating them will make your butt itch
https://retroflexions.com/the-informed-patient/why-is-my-butt-so-itchy/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dtdbd/til_cashews_are_related_to_poison_ivy_and_eating/
TIL that, a group of pandas is called an embarrassment
https://wildexplained.com/blog/group-of-pandas/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dpxvq/til_that_a_group_of_pandas_is_called_an/
TIL that the person who published the first map with the word America, later tried to change the continent's name to Parrotland.
https://josha-journal.org/system/articles/merged_pdfs/000/000/037/original/tmp_pdf_america-comes-from-freiburg-cartographer-waldseemuller-from-freiburg-was-the-first-to-show-the-new-world-as-a-continent-in-1507-and-named-it-america.pdf?14307591…
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dpcgg/til_that_the_person_who_published_the_first_map/
#Today I learned that #Lego has a program where you can send them your old LEGOs (bricks, pieces, mini-figs, etc). LEGO will then take them in, wash / sterilize them, and donate them to children in need!
They even pay for the shipping for you.
If you want to know more, you can check out their website here: https://www.lego.com/en-us/sustainability/environment/replay
#TIL #TodayILearned #Toys #Donation #Donations #Christmas #Giving #LegoReplay
TIL that White Castle, founded in 1921, predates McDonald's by nearly two decades, establishing itself as America's first fast-food hamburger chain.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Castle_(restaurant)
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dm0xi/til_that_white_castle_founded_in_1921_predates/
TIL on January 23, 1556 a massive earthquake, measuring 9.0 on the Richter scale, struck Shaanxi, China, killing over 850,000 people. This is the most devastating earthquake in recorded history.
https://www.britannica.com/event/Shaanxi-province-earthquake-of-1556
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dkcfj/til_on_january_23_1556_a_massive_earthquake/
#TIL soweit:
– Knöpfhose = Dumme Idee
– Handschuhe = Schade
– Mit links abputzen = Whoa #brainfuck
to be continued
_____
¹ Ja, auch mit einem Akkuschrauber kann man sich ernsthaft verletzen.
#TIL: nach Muki Haklay gibt es mehrere level von #CitizenScience: von crowdsourcing über "verteilte intelligenz" und "beteiligungswissenschaft" bis zu "extremer" citizen science. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizen_Science#Alternative_Definitionen. #DHMünster23
TIL that there are around 350,000 unsolved murders since 1965 in the United States.
https://projectcoldcase.org/cold-case-homicide-stats/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dee71/til_that_there_are_around_350000_unsolved_murders/
TIL that Geert Wilders, who recently received the most votes in the Dutch election, was once deemed too dangerous to enter the United Kingdon
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2009/feb/12/far-right-dutch-mp-ban-islam
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dd8qs/til_that_geert_wilders_who_recently_received_the/
TIL Dogs poop in alignment with Earth’s North-South magnetic field
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/dogs-poop-in-alignment-with-earths-magnetic-field-study-finds
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18dd10j/til_dogs_poop_in_alignment_with_earths_northsouth/
TIL A 72- to 66-million-year-old embryo found inside a fossilized dinosaur egg sheds new light on the link between the behavior of modern birds and dinosaurs, according to a new study| The most complete fossil suggests that these dinosaurs developed bird-like postures close to hatching.
https://www.cell.com/iscience/fulltext/S2589-0042(21)01487-5?_returnURL=https%3A%2F%…
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18darvz/til_a_72_to_66millionyearold_embryo_found_inside/
TIL that 1 to 4% of the general population has antisocial personality disorder.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK546673/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18d5zsy/til_that_1_to_4_of_the_general_population_has/
TIL that Robert McNair at age 9 was kicked out of a library because he was black. When he grew up, he got a PhD and the library he was kicked from was named after him.
https://news.yahoo.com/age-9-ronald-mcnair-turned-172656036.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAIBRuBlbCMS0U9ZgxLpJKENTb1Y2RBFgVGlQGlONun8Sqku0wy0MmcoH-…
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18d3uso/til_that_robert_mcnair_at_age_9_was_kicked_out_of/
#TIL that there's someone building a cross-platform game engine in #SwiftLang, mostly by themselves. That's... really cool. https://swiftpackageindex.com/STREGAsGate/GateEngine
The US Navy have an aircraft carrier called USS Ronald Reagan.
Is this normal? Can we also expect there to be a USS Dubya and a USS Donald Trump?
TIL about CKAN:
CKAN is an open-source DMS (data management system) for powering data hubs and data portals. CKAN makes it easy to publish, share and use data. It powers hundreds of data portals worldwide. (AGPL 3 License)
It powers the open data at Government of Canada. (and Singapore, and Australia)
It uses Python 3.8+, and documented using Sphinx + ReadTheDocs!
🤩 :python:
"In 1985, a unique skull was discovered lying on Yamana Beach at Cape Shirreff in Antarctica’s South Shetland Islands. It belonged to an indigenous woman from southern Chile in her early 20s, thought to have died between 1819 and 1825. It was the oldest known human remains ever found in Antarctica."
#TIL
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20181019-the-bones-that-could-shape-antarcticas-future
TIL most cars have an arrow next to their gas icon which tells you which side the gas cap is on
https://www.countryliving.com/life/travel/news/a43167/what-does-the-arrow-on-the-gas-gauge-mean/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18cyq1h/til_most_cars_have_an_arrow_next_to_their_gas/
TIL an Oxford University physicist claimed that for the moon landing conspiracy to be true, around 411,000 people would’ve needed to keep it secret. He also suggests the hoax would’ve broken down in 3.68 years.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/science/math-formula-charts-the-lifespan-of-hoaxes
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18cw0kw/til_an_oxford_university_physicist_claimed_that/
TIL a New Zealand woman was detained in Kazakhstan because they did not believe New Zealand was a real country. When they asked her to show the country on a map, their map did not include New Zealand.
https://www.stuff.co.nz/travel/kiwi-traveller/87233886/kiwi-detained-in-kazakhstan-after-officials-refuse-to-recognise-new-zealand-as-country
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18cpva2/til_a_new_zealand_woman_was_detained_in/
TIL Phil Collins became an 'honorary Texan’ after donating over 200 artifacts to The Alamo. Collins has actually written a book on The Alamo as well.
https://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/article/Phil-Collins-made-an-honorary-Texan-by-the-6127933.php
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18cptcf/til_phil_collins_became_an_honorary_texan_after/
TIL that french fries can be made out of prickly pear cactuses. Called Cactus Fries, they are found in Tex-Mex and New Mexican cuisine and have a texture compared to okra or onion rings.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cactus_fries
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18cftnn/til_that_french_fries_can_be_made_out_of_prickly/
TIL over 18 million Chinese were killed in World War 2, then over 5 million in the resumed Chinese Civil War, then over 50 million from executions and starvation over the next 20 years after the communists took over.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18c5lnl/til_over_18_million_chinese_were_killed_in_world/
Today I learned #TIL: "How to force paperless-ngx to consume signed PDFs"
👉 https://foosel.net/til/how-to-force-paperless-to-consume-signed-pdfs/
TIL that bananas are curved due to their growth towards the sun. The rate of cell division on each side of the fruit, influenced by sunlight, determines the degree of curvature.
https://www.australianbananas.com.au/Pages/all-about-bananas/mind-bending-facts
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18bya43/til_that_bananas_are_curved_due_to_their_growth/
TIL Rob Reiner, Richard Dreyfuss, and Albert Brooks all went to high school together
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beverly_Hills_High_School#Notable_alumni
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18botnm/til_rob_reiner_richard_dreyfuss_and_albert_brooks/
#TIL that a .gz file can contain multiple sub-files: https://www.rfc-editor.org/rfc/rfc1952#page-5.
#TIL there was once a proposal for a #Wikipedia Trading Card game 🥴
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Trading_card_game
img src: https://w.wiki/8PNr
TIL there have been more than 300 flavors of Kit Kat chocolate bars produced in Japan since the year 2000
http://wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Kats_in_Japan
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18asie7/til_there_have_been_more_than_300_flavors_of_kit/
TIL “Pull Yourself Up By Your Bootstraps” was originally meant sarcastically, or to suggest an impossible accomplishment, because it is impossible for someone to pull themselves up by their bootstraps.
https://uselessetymology.com/2019/11/07/the-origins-of-the-phrase-pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ackgs/til_pull_yourself_up_by_your_bootstraps_was/
TIL legendary sing-songwriter and inventor of the Jello Shot, Tom Lehrer, transferred all his music into the public domain and all of his recorded songs can be downloaded for free.
https://tomlehrersongs.com
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18ac1bc/til_legendary_singsongwriter_and_inventor_of_the/
TIL The man with the longest name is the german-american typesetter, Hubert Blaine Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff Sr. + 666 Sr (with the 666 to designate the number of letters in the full surname)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubert_Blaine_Wolfeschlegelsteinhausenbergerdorff_Sr
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18a5kb6/til_the_man_with_the_longest_name_is_the/
TIL that California black acorns were used by California native Americans as a staple food.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quercus_kelloggii#Uses
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/18a3b52/til_that_california_black_acorns_were_used_by/
#TIL that the word "draconian" refers to the Roman Draco & his harsh laws, and is not a reference to dragons in any way. Guess I imbibed too much fantasy as a kid.
#TIL trivia That the »Dish Of The Day« in the 1981 TV adaption of »The Hitchhiker’s Guide To The Galaxy« was played by the then 5th #DoctorWho Peter Davison.
… only by reading the credits ;)
In #TIL, I knew that the #KateBush track Why Should I Love You? was a collaboration with #Prince but I had no idea that was also Lenny Henry on vocals! https://youtu.be/B3j4pgqdwNA?si=0XU0vYMT2up7ZbLN&t=164
TIL that “mortgage” comes from the old French word “morgage” literally meaning “death pledge”
https://en.Wikipedia.org/wiki/mortgage
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/189exum/til_that_mortgage_comes_from_the_old_french_word/
TIL in 1938, Chiang Kai-Shek caused the deadliest manmade flood in history when he intentionally broke the Yellow River dam. While he did succeed in his goal of slowing down the Japanese advance, it ended up killing 400,000-893,303 people in the process.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1938_Yellow_River_flood
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/189dgax/til_in_1938_chiang_kaishek_caused_the_deadliest/
TIL that the head of the UN Office on Drugs and Crime concluded that billions in drug money kept the global financial system afloat during the 2008 crisis
https://www.theguardian.com/global/2009/dec/13/drug-money-banks-saved-un-cfief-claims
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/189c5qc/til_that_the_head_of_the_un_office_on_drugs_and/
TIL: Unknown to Johnny Cash when he recorded it, "Ring of Fire" was written by June Carter about falling in love with him and her torment because she was married to someone else. She sang backup on Cash's version. Years later, when they were both divorced, they met again and eventually married.
https://www.thisamericanlife.org/247/transcript
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/189a6sl/til_unknown_to_johnny_cash_when_he_recorded_it/
#TIL To reference an autolinked header that contains an emoji in #Sphinx / #myst replace the emoji with a dash.
From: https://myst-parser.readthedocs.io/en/latest/syntax/cross-referencing.html#autolinks.
