I hope you’ve got your thinking caps on and you’ve got plenty of dark chocolate that our brains love so much stacked somewhere nearby, dear Pandas, because we’re seriously going to push the limits of your mind today. They say that knowledge is power, and we’re about to make you very powerful, indeed.
We’re continuing our tradition of sharing the best posts shared on the ‘Today I Learned’ online community with all of you, so go on take a peek at what curious internet users were proud to have figured out about the world recently. As you’re scrolling down, don’t forget to upvote the facts that were new to you as well. And if you’ve got any other interesting TIL-worthy things to share with everyone, then the comment section is the place for you to share your knowledge.
When you’re done absorbing all the history, science, and other knowledge from this post, we cordially invite you to have a look at Bored Panda’s previous in-depth TIL articles here, here, and here. Enjoy!
#1
TIL after the holidays, the Rockefeller Christmas tree is cut into lumber for Habitat for Humanity homes
Image credits: MerryJaneHolland
#2
TIL that Gary Sinise, A.K.A. “Lieutenant Dan” from Forrest Gump, started the Gary Sinise Foundation in 2011, and it has raised $194 million for wounded veterans
Image credits: SappyGilmore
#3
TIL In 1975 Elvis went to see a movie with his gf. He was spotted by fans and they went crazy. His gf walks up and pranks the fans saying to Elvis, “Charlie, you’re not using that Elvis bit again are you? Come on, you’re not telling these people that you’re Elvis again are you? The fans left.
Image credits: Someguy2930
#4
TIL women in Viking Age Scandinavia did enjoy an unusual degree of freedom for their day. They could own property, request a divorce and reclaim their dowries if their marriages ended.
Image credits: AbaloneSea7265
#5
TIL Indonesia put a nation wide stop on manta ray fishing after it was calculated that a single animal is worth an estimated US$1 million over its lifetime in tourism versus its value of $40-$500 when killed
Image credits: Bartek.cieslak
#6
TIL Sir Paul McCartney’s mother (Mary McCarthy) died when he was just 14 years old. He struggled with the grief for around 8 years, until one night she appeared to him in a dream saying things like “Don’t worry, live your life, let it be”. From this he wrote the world famous Beatles song “Let it be”
Image credits: Azlamington
#7
TIL that in 1993 the Barbie Liberation Organization switched the voice boxes on talking G.I. Joes and Barbie dolls causing the barbies to say phrases like “vengeance is mine” and G.I. Joes to say “The beach is the place for summer.” 300 to 500 dolls were modified.
Image credits: StoopitTrader
#8
TIL Molly Brown survived the Titanic and was rescued by the Carpathia. Aboard the Carpathia, a battered Brown did what she could to help the other survivors, including raising money from the wealthy to help poor passengers. Her acts of heroism earned her the nickname “the Unsinkable Mrs. Brown.”
Image credits: SingLikeTinaTurner
#9
TIL of Cain’s Jawbone by Edward Powys Mathers, a 1934 mystery novel printed with its 100 pages out of order. To solve the puzzle, readers must determine the correct page order as well the names of both the six murderers and six victims. The mystery has only ever been solved by three people.
Image credits: NJJbadscience
#10
TIL of Herman Francis Mark, an Austrian scientist and son of a Jew, who chose to flee Austria in 1938. He clandestinely bought platinum wire, worth roughly $50,000, which he bent into coat hangers while his wife knitted covers so that the hangers were able to be taken out of the country.
For a period of time after the rise to power of Hitler/ the Nazis, Jews were allowed to leave Germany, but have to leave their fortune behind. So he was smuggling his money out of country.
Image credits: beerbellybegone
#11
TIL Dr. Charles R. Drew, an African American, developed improved techniques for blood storage, which saved thousands of Allied forces’ lives during WWII. In 1942, however, he resigned as director of the first American Red Cross Blood Bank because of their exclusion of African-Americans’ blood.
Image credits: New_Particular7075
#12
TIL a Brazilian priest strapped himself to 1000 balloons as a fundraising event for truckers. He set off into the sky and then disappeared over the Atlantic Ocean. His body was recovered months later.
Image credits: The_Ry_Ry
#13
TIL that a hurricane hit Hawaii when Jurrasic Park was filming. The sets were destroyed and the cast and crew were stranded in a leaking hotel ballroom. Steven Spielberg played cards with the kids for hours and told them stories to distract them. Real footages of the hurricane were added to the film
Image credits: Pixorev
#14
TIL of the end of Brazil’s monarchy. The last emperor; Pedro II’s liberal regime pushed for women’s rights, ended slavery, gave power to the parliament and respected freedom of speech. But he was overthrown, exiled and replaced by a republican regime that was practically a military dictatorship.
Image credits: TheTriviaPage
#15
TIL the classic Kong dog toy was created after an auto-repair shop owner’s dog kept chewing a VW Bus suspension part
Image credits: brock_lee
#16
TIL that On July 21, 1972, George Carlin was arrested and charged with violating obscenity laws after performing his famous “Seven Dirty Words” routine at Milwaukee’s Summerfest. He would go on to be arrested a total of seven times for reciting that same routine.
Image credits: marlonbrandto
#17
TIL in 1944, a 21 year old tail gunner of a Lancaster Bomber jumped from his aircraft after being shot down over Germany. He fell 18,000 ft without a parachute and survived with a sprained leg as his only injury.
Image credits: puu22222
#18
TIL that a couple days before the deadly eruption of Mt. Pelee in 1902, the town of St. Pierre was plagued by in invasion of giant centipedes and pit vipers, claiming the lives of 50 people.
Image credits: Kirbyz2013
#19
TIL teenagers take more risk not only due to an undeveloped frontal cortex, but also due to higher dopamine response that provides greater rewards for novel activities
Image credits: Not_Bill_Hicks
#20
TIL the original John Hughes cut of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles” ran 3.5 hours because there was so much improv between Steve Martin and John Candy, and that that cut is probably lost forever.
Image credits: KazamaSmokers
#21
TIL two thirds of Argentina’s population is of Italian heritage. They fled there for economic opportunities and to escape devastating wars. It is the only other country besides Italy with an Italian heritage majority population.
Image credits: SonOfQuora
#22
TIL that in 1924, a tunnel network was discovered underneath Washington D.C. Speculation behind the network’s origins included a Confederate hideout or a liquor depot for bootleggers; they were actually dug by the Smithsonian Institute’s entomologist Harrison G. Dyar, who ‘did it for exercise’.
Image credits: AbathaCrispy
#23
TIL Utqiagvik, Alaska. People often call the town “the top of the world,” When the sun sets on November 18, it will stay below the horizon until January 23, resulting in a polar night that lasts for about 66 days.
Image credits: behrkon
#24
TIL that the most successful predator in Africa is the African wild dog. If a pack targets a prey, there’s an 85% chance they’ll bring it down successfully
Image credits: Sosuke7964
#25
TIL Elvis Presley Never Wrote Any of His Own Songs despite being one of the most recognizable musicians of all time.
Image credits: dd28064212
#26
TIL Richard Scrushy, charged with masterminding $2.7 billion fraud case, came up with a novel strategy: “[play] the religion card” and become a televangelist to curry favor with jurors (the trial was held in Alabama). He was acquitted of all charges.
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Image credits: JohnSith
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