Today I Learned (TIL)

201

1

TIL there was an attempt to make a pigeon-guided missile in WW2 (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Synfinium on 2025-03-06 20:32:20.

202

1

TIL that the average 18th-century French worker spent half his daily wage on bread. (www.smithsonianmag.com)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/m_faustus on 2025-03-06 20:20:31.

203

1

TIL NFL Hall of Famer Lynn Swann was the inspiration for Troy Bolton and High School Musical (steelersdepot.com)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/IAmBenIAmStillBig on 2025-03-06 20:17:24.

204

1

TIL that in her 2019 testimony to stop paparazzi from endangering her children, Jennifer Garner described a “solid decade where there were five or six cars minimum, and easily up to 15 or 20 on th... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/TriviaDuchess on 2025-03-06 19:53:21.

Original Title: TIL that in her 2019 testimony to stop paparazzi from endangering her children, Jennifer Garner described a “solid decade where there were five or six cars minimum, and easily up to 15 or 20 on the weekends, outside of my house at all times.”

205

1

TIL about The Garrote, a device used for execution, consisting of a metal collar tightened around the neck using a screw mechanism. It crushed the throat or snapped the spinal cord, leading to a s... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/yooolka on 2025-03-06 19:26:39.

Original Title: TIL about The Garrote, a device used for execution, consisting of a metal collar tightened around the neck using a screw mechanism. It crushed the throat or snapped the spinal cord, leading to a slow and painful death. Shockingly, the last executions by garrote took place as late as 1974.

206

1

TIL that the city of Angkor (in modern Cambodia) in the Khmer Empire at its peak covered an area of one thousand square kilometres, approximately the size of modern Los Angeles (www.worldhistory.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Intrepid_Doubt_6602 on 2025-03-06 19:13:24.

207

1

TIL the inventor of the Frisbee was turned into a Frisbee after he died .His ashes were molded into a limited edition batch of flying discs. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Sigma_Raj on 2025-03-06 18:39:36.

208

1

TIL that In the early 1900's peanut butter was a delicacy, bought and consumed only by the wealthy (nationalpeanutboard.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/bigus-_-dickus on 2025-03-06 17:22:17.

209

1

TIL the SNL Christopher Walken sketch "The Continental" was based on an actual 1952 TV show of the same name. Renzo Cesana as the host would create a romantic rendezvous with female viewers, speak... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/strangelove4564 on 2025-03-06 16:09:38.

Original Title: TIL the SNL Christopher Walken sketch "The Continental" was based on an actual 1952 TV show of the same name. Renzo Cesana as the host would create a romantic rendezvous with female viewers, speaking directly to them in a suave manner.

210

1

TIL that Graf Zeppelin, the first zeppelin to cross the Atlantic, devoted about 30% of its total gas volume to non-lifting synthetic gas. It was used as fuel in combination with diesel to power th... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SamsonFox2 on 2025-03-06 16:00:55.

Original Title: TIL that Graf Zeppelin, the first zeppelin to cross the Atlantic, devoted about 30% of its total gas volume to non-lifting synthetic gas. It was used as fuel in combination with diesel to power the dirigible.

211

1

TIL that Tic-Tacs were launched under the name “Refreshing Mints.” They changed the name a year later based on the distinctive clicking noise made by opening and closing the package. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/ICanStopTheRain on 2025-03-06 15:54:02.

212

1

TIL that wood frogs can freeze and thaw repeatedly thanks to the urea accumulated in their tissues and the high amount of glucose that acts as a cryoprotectant (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Sikaraa on 2025-03-06 11:53:27.

213

1

TIL that It’s proven dogs can understand and recognize up to 250 words and gestures, making them one of the most skilled species studied in these tasks. It has been suggested that, with training, ... (www.purina.co.uk)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Ok_Safe7683 on 2025-03-06 08:54:01.

Original Title: TIL that It’s proven dogs can understand and recognize up to 250 words and gestures, making them one of the most skilled species studied in these tasks. It has been suggested that, with training, some may even recognize and respond to more than 1,000 different words!

214

1

TIL about Filippo Argenti, a citizen of Florence in the 13th century, that once slapped Dante Alighieri. Dante would put him in his Inferno among the wrathful (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/ModenaR on 2025-03-06 08:08:19.

215

1

TIL: the macadamia nut is the only indigenous Australian plant grown as a large scale commercial food crop (australianmacadamias.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/MissionAsparagus9609 on 2025-03-06 07:14:29.

216

1

TIL that sugar doesn’t directly cause hyperactivity in children. Instead, the excitement around treats, the setting (like parties), and the expectations of parents and children play a bigger role ... (www.yalescientific.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Own-Bullfrog7362 on 2025-03-06 05:23:14.

Original Title: TIL that sugar doesn’t directly cause hyperactivity in children. Instead, the excitement around treats, the setting (like parties), and the expectations of parents and children play a bigger role in perceived energy boosts.

217

1

TIL the 2nd-century BC Venus de Milo statue was discovered in 1820 by a farmer on the Greek island of Milos while working his fields. A French naval officer saw its value and arranged the acquisit... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/TriviaDuchess on 2025-03-06 04:20:53.

Original Title: TIL the 2nd-century BC Venus de Milo statue was discovered in 1820 by a farmer on the Greek island of Milos while working his fields. A French naval officer saw its value and arranged the acquisition. The statue was given to King Louis XVIII, who donated it to the Louvre, where it remains today

218

1

TIL that the rapture, the evangelical belief that Christians will physically ascend to meet Jesus in the sky, is an idea that only dates to the 1830s. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/ICanStopTheRain on 2025-03-06 04:11:30.

219

1

TIL that for the United States' 150th birthday in 1926, Poland sent 111 volumes of signatures & greetings to President Coolidge. The signatures were from government officials, representatives ... (www.loc.gov)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/TheSanityInspector on 2025-03-06 04:02:07.

Original Title: TIL that for the United States' 150th birthday in 1926, Poland sent 111 volumes of signatures & greetings to President Coolidge. The signatures were from government officials, representatives of religious social business academic & military institutions, and approximately 5.5 million schoolchildren.

220

1

TIL about Irdabama, a powerful Ancient Persian (Iranian) businesswoman who, ~2500 years ago, controlled vast estates, traded across the Achaemenid Empire, managing hundreds of workers whilst trave... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Saamyar on 2025-03-06 02:32:43.

Original Title: TIL about Irdabama, a powerful Ancient Persian (Iranian) businesswoman who, ~2500 years ago, controlled vast estates, traded across the Achaemenid Empire, managing hundreds of workers whilst travelling around Iran and Mesopotamia with her own entourage.

221

1

TIL The first American woman to vote was Lydia Taft. In 1756, she received the legal right to vote at a town meeting in Massachusetts (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/LovenAkira on 2025-03-06 00:33:09.

222

1

TIL that the total mass of things that humans have created exceeds the total mass of living things on Earth (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Molotovs_Mocktail on 2025-03-05 18:26:43.

223

1

TIL that Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t actually as short as many people believe? The idea that he was extremely short comes from a measurement conversion error between the French and British systems. ... (nationalpost.com)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SnooPandas3220 on 2025-03-06 01:19:39.

Original Title: TIL that Napoleon Bonaparte wasn’t actually as short as many people believe? The idea that he was extremely short comes from a measurement conversion error between the French and British systems. In reality, he was about 1.69 m (5'7"), which was an average height for his time.

224

1

TIL that up to 93 million people suffer from Central Sleep Apnea, a sleep disorder where the brain ‘forgets’ to tell the body to breathe. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/RippingLegos__ on 2025-03-06 00:47:23.

225

1

TIL following backlash to the Morgenthau plan for Germany, President Roosevelt claimed "I have not approved anything like that. I am sure I have not. ... I have no recollection of this at all". Up... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

0 comments fedilink

The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/LargestBack on 2025-03-05 22:34:52.

Original Title: TIL following backlash to the Morgenthau plan for Germany, President Roosevelt claimed "I have not approved anything like that. I am sure I have not. ... I have no recollection of this at all". Upon being read back what he had signed, Roosevelt said he had "no idea how he could have initialed this"