Today I Learned (TIL)

726

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TIL Space Invaders was such a huge success by 1982 it had grossed $14 billion adjusted for inflation, it was the highest-grossing entertainment product of all time (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/rocklou on 2025-02-17 21:55:24.

727

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TIL Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930, by Clyde Tombaugh. The name was suggested by an 11-year-old English schoolgirl, Venetia Burney. Tombaugh liked the name because it began with "PL," t... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/TriviaDuchess on 2025-02-17 21:49:18.

Original Title: TIL Pluto was discovered on February 18, 1930, by Clyde Tombaugh. The name was suggested by an 11-year-old English schoolgirl, Venetia Burney. Tombaugh liked the name because it began with "PL," the initials of Percival Lowell, the astronomer who first predicted its existence.

728

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TIL that our use of "Nuclear Power" in "Nuclear Power Plants" is simply used to just boil water. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/extremekc on 2025-02-17 21:40:36.

729

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TIL that Iceland's largest tree is a 75-year-old Sitka spruce, planted in 1949 in the forest of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Measuring 80+ feet in 2013, the tree portrays the importance of forestry and re... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Jay_B_ on 2025-02-17 20:31:22.

Original Title: TIL that Iceland's largest tree is a 75-year-old Sitka spruce, planted in 1949 in the forest of Kirkjubæjarklaustur. Measuring 80+ feet in 2013, the tree portrays the importance of forestry and reclaiming land for natural usage in the region's thin, volcanic soils, which are subject to erosion.

730

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TIL about the U.S. Army’s Nuclear Disablement Teams, which train to assault and secure nuclear power plants or nuclear weapons during a ground war with a nuclear power. (www.army.mil)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Low-Way557 on 2025-02-17 20:05:57.

731

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TIL about Sir Robert Hart, the most important and influential Westerner in Qing dynasty China. He was China's Inspector General of Maritime Customs for nearly half a century and also laid the foun... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Ribbitor123 on 2025-02-17 18:43:50.

Original Title: TIL about Sir Robert Hart, the most important and influential Westerner in Qing dynasty China. He was China's Inspector General of Maritime Customs for nearly half a century and also laid the foundations for China's national postal service, railway, meteorological and navigation systems.

732

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TIL: During WWII, the British used a dead body with fake documents to trick the Nazis into defending the wrong location, leading to the successful invasion of Sicily. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/beekaar on 2025-02-17 18:04:50.

733

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TIL you can't legally buy Jack Daniel's whiskey in the town where the Jack Daniel's distillery is located, since it's a "dry county". It's legal to distill alcohol, just not legal to sell. (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Double-decker_trams on 2025-02-17 16:34:33.

734

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TIL the African American exhibit at the 1900 Paris Exhibition, curated by W.E.B. DuBois & Thomas J. Calloway, featured 200 books by African Americans, collected by Daniel Murray. Murray's list... (www.loc.gov)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/CobblestonesSkylines on 2025-02-17 16:15:43.

Original Title: TIL the African American exhibit at the 1900 Paris Exhibition, curated by W.E.B. DuBois & Thomas J. Calloway, featured 200 books by African Americans, collected by Daniel Murray. Murray's list was the Library of Congress' first bibliography of African American literature.. More in the comments....

735

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TIL that in 1962, a mysterious laughter epidemic broke out in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), starting with three schoolgirls and spreading uncontrollably to over 1,000 people. It lasted for months, fo... (www.atlasobscura.com)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Only_Currency5789 on 2025-02-17 12:22:22.

Original Title: TIL that in 1962, a mysterious laughter epidemic broke out in Tanganyika (now Tanzania), starting with three schoolgirls and spreading uncontrollably to over 1,000 people. It lasted for months, forcing schools to shut down, baffling doctors, and showing how mass hysteria can spread like a virus.

736

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TIL about Timothy Clark Smith, who, due to taphophobia (fear of being buried alive) is famous for having a grave with a window and being buried with a bell on his hand. (www.amusingplanet.com)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/charmer143 on 2025-02-17 12:15:09.

737

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TIL of Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother, who capitalised on the political chaos of the Wars of the Roses & was instrumental in orchestrating the rise of the Tudors. Her efforts led to Hen... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/comrade_batman on 2025-02-17 12:14:42.

Original Title: TIL of Margaret Beaufort, Henry VII’s mother, who capitalised on the political chaos of the Wars of the Roses & was instrumental in orchestrating the rise of the Tudors. Her efforts led to Henry's victory at Bosworth Field & continued to wield considerable political influence and personal autonomy

738

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TIL that the bumps on humpback whales are giant sensory hair follicles, and that the purpose of the hairs is still unclear (www.earthtouchnews.com)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/grungegoth on 2025-02-17 11:21:45.

739

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TIL the surname Poindexter is most common in the United States but actually originated from the island of Jersey between Britain and France where it survives in its original form of Poingdestre (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Plus-Staff on 2025-02-17 10:53:00.

740

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TIL: Beaufort's Dyke, a deep ocean trench between Ireland and Scotland where the UK has dumped over a million tons of surplus munitions including nuclear waste. Occasionally some munitions wash up... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/timeforknowledge on 2025-02-17 09:57:09.

Original Title: TIL: Beaufort's Dyke, a deep ocean trench between Ireland and Scotland where the UK has dumped over a million tons of surplus munitions including nuclear waste. Occasionally some munitions wash up on the surrounding shores

741

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TIL about Gabriel's horn, is a type of geometric figure that has infinite surface area but finite volume (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Johannes_P on 2025-02-17 09:46:02.

742

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TIL that an official map of Michigan once included two fictional towns, Goblu and Beatosu, in reference to the football rivalry between the University of Michigan and the Ohio State University. (www.mlive.com)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/pengweather on 2025-02-17 09:40:46.

743

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TIL about a 747 hijacking where the jet had to land in Algeria to refuel. The lead flight attendant actually had to buy 6,000 gallons of jet fuel on her personal credit card because the Algerians ... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SupermarketOk2281 on 2025-02-17 06:43:57.

Original Title: TIL about a 747 hijacking where the jet had to land in Algeria to refuel. The lead flight attendant actually had to buy 6,000 gallons of jet fuel on her personal credit card because the Algerians insisted on payment first

744

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TIL Britain was connected to continental Europe 9,000 years ago by strip known as Doggerland. Doggerland is now submerged. (education.nationalgeographic.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SupermarketOk2281 on 2025-02-17 05:58:54.

745

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TIL that the first British ocean-going iron warship deployed and operated in China during the first Opium War (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/uniyk on 2025-02-17 05:35:57.

746

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TIL the temples and theaters of Ephesus, in ancient Turkey, were once accessed via a Mediterranean harbor. The city’s main thoroughfare, Harbor Street, led directly from the waterfront. Sadly, cen... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/TriviaDuchess on 2025-02-16 19:36:32.

Original Title: TIL the temples and theaters of Ephesus, in ancient Turkey, were once accessed via a Mediterranean harbor. The city’s main thoroughfare, Harbor Street, led directly from the waterfront. Sadly, centuries of silt buildup have left these historic structures stranded about 3 miles inland.

747

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TIL the founder of TSMC -- Morris Chang -- did not receive any equity in the company when it was founded in 1987. (blog.hardwareclub.co)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Olshansk on 2025-02-16 18:20:59.

748

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TIL People typically fart about 13 to 21 times a day, amounting to ½ to 1½ quarts (0.5 to 1.5 liters), and some people fart more or less often. (www.merckmanuals.com)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Smithium on 2025-02-16 18:20:45.

749

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TIL Anna Tumarkin (1875–1951) was a Russian-born, naturalized Swiss academic and the first female philosophy professor at the University of Bern. She was also the first woman in Europe to examine ... (en.wikipedia.org)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/BezugssystemCH1903 on 2025-02-16 14:53:09.

Original Title: TIL Anna Tumarkin (1875–1951) was a Russian-born, naturalized Swiss academic and the first female philosophy professor at the University of Bern. She was also the first woman in Europe to examine PhD candidates and join a University Senate.

750

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TIL Cary Grant turned down The Bridge on the River Kwai just to work with Marlon Brando in The Pride and the Passion. But Brando, calling the script “mediocre at best,” bailed. Grant filmed it wit... (faroutmagazine.co.uk)

submitted 1 month ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster

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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/PaleontologistRude74 on 2025-02-16 14:52:17.

Original Title: TIL Cary Grant turned down The Bridge on the River Kwai just to work with Marlon Brando in The Pride and the Passion. But Brando, calling the script “mediocre at best,” bailed. Grant filmed it with Sinatra instead, and it flopped, while The Bridge on the River Kwai became an Oscar-winning classic.