Today I Learned (TIL)

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You learn something new every day; what did you learn today? Submit interesting and specific facts about something that you just found out here.

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bOt@zerobytes.monster
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876
1
TIL the Dickin Medal is awarded to animals "displaying conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty" (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/yutfree on 2025-02-13 18:06:10.
877
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TIL that Westminster Palace, the home of both Chambers of British Parliament is home to no less than 30 bars that are subsidized by the taxpayers (observer.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Upset_Following9017 on 2025-02-13 17:48:53.
878
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TIL the "whoopee cushion" has actually been around since ancient times and there was even a Roman emperor known for tricking guests into sitting on one. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/happytree23 on 2025-02-13 17:45:19.
879
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TIL during WW2, in order to prevent the Nazi’s from turning it into a base for U-Boats, The British invaded Iceland. There was only one casualty, a Royal Marine who committed suicide en route (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Hot-Silver3714 on 2025-02-13 16:59:06.
880
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TIL about the "Birthday Effect" - the phenomenon where you are significantly more likely to die on or near your birthday than on other dates (www.sciencefocus.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/robrt382 on 2025-02-13 16:58:33.
881
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TIL in 1873, the US Supreme Court denied Myra Bradwell from practicing law. Some of the reasons were "would open the flood gates and many more women" and "Brutal cases would not be appropriate for... (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SpuddMeister on 2025-02-13 16:40:36.

Original Title: TIL in 1873, the US Supreme Court denied Myra Bradwell from practicing law. Some of the reasons were "would open the flood gates and many more women" and "Brutal cases would not be appropriate for a woman".

882
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TIL Coca-Cola sold for 5 cents for over 60 years (www.npr.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SpaciousTables on 2025-02-13 16:36:31.
883
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TIL that Nazi general Erwin Rommel was allowed to take cyanide after being implicated in a plot to kill Hitler. To maintain morale, the Nazis gave him a state funeral and falsely claimed he died ... (wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/mvincen95 on 2025-02-13 15:33:02.

Original Title: TIL that Nazi general Erwin Rommel was allowed to take cyanide after being implicated in a plot to kill Hitler. To maintain morale, the Nazis gave him a state funeral and falsely claimed he died from war injuries.

884
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TIL the founder of North Face, Douglas Tompkins, was killed in 2015 in a kayaking accident while traveling with long time friend Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, in Patagonia, Chile. (wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/mvincen95 on 2025-02-13 15:25:16.
885
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TIL that GameBoy and GameBoy Color cartridges have a watch battery inside of them to power the chip for savefiles. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Dorsai_Erynus on 2025-02-13 14:30:02.
886
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TIL about the All-American Basketball Alliance, a white-only basketball league proposed in 2010 by boxing promoter Don Lewis. After being decried by mayors and colleges in the cities where teams w... (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/a3poify on 2025-02-13 13:46:54.

Original Title: TIL about the All-American Basketball Alliance, a white-only basketball league proposed in 2010 by boxing promoter Don Lewis. After being decried by mayors and colleges in the cities where teams were proposed, as well as by national media figures, the idea was abandoned.

887
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TIL Gene Roddenberry's only appearance in Star Trek was as a ship's chef who told Captain Kirk that the turkey-shaped meatloaf in the galley ovens had turned into real turkeys. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/haddock420 on 2025-02-13 13:06:18.
888
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TIL that Valentine’s Day originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. During the feast, priests sacrificed two goats and a dog, then ran around touching women and crops with the blood... (www.cincinnati.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/yooolka on 2025-02-13 11:51:17.

Original Title: TIL that Valentine’s Day originated from the ancient Roman festival of Lupercalia. During the feast, priests sacrificed two goats and a dog, then ran around touching women and crops with the bloodstained hides, believing it would increase fertility.

889
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TIL some tropical species of cone snails have a "harpoon" sting which can be fatal, and has killed at least 27 people. One species is nicknamed the "cigarette snail" as the victim will have only e... (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/jacknunn on 2025-02-13 09:42:32.

Original Title: TIL some tropical species of cone snails have a "harpoon" sting which can be fatal, and has killed at least 27 people. One species is nicknamed the "cigarette snail" as the victim will have only enough time to smoke a cigarette before dying

890
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TIL that steam locomotives were still being manufactured for industrial use in 1999 (www.trains.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Lokalaskurar on 2025-02-13 08:22:46.
891
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TIL Shakespeare likely died on his birthday, April 23. (www.shakespeare.org.uk)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/nosrettap25 on 2025-02-13 08:20:40.
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TIL Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple, was so good at Tetris that Nintendo Power magazine eventually stopped publishing his high scores because he dominated the leaderboard. (gizmodo.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Diligent_Mode7203 on 2025-02-13 08:15:22.
893
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TIL why Japan drives on the left hand side of the road which goes back all the way to the Edo period (1603-1867) when Samurai ruled the country. In 1872, England won the bid to help Japan build it... (www.tofugu.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/petethecanuck on 2025-02-13 05:49:00.

Original Title: TIL why Japan drives on the left hand side of the road which goes back all the way to the Edo period (1603-1867) when Samurai ruled the country. In 1872, England won the bid to help Japan build it's railway system (railways were all left side running) and left hand side driving became "official".

894
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TIL Keanu Reeves was only offered the role of "Neo" in The Matrix after six leading actors turned it down including Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Val Kilmer and Sandra Bu... (faroutmagazine.co.uk)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/SappyGilmore on 2025-02-13 05:02:45.

Original Title: TIL Keanu Reeves was only offered the role of "Neo" in The Matrix after six leading actors turned it down including Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Will Smith, Nicolas Cage, Val Kilmer and Sandra Bullock

895
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TIL Puss in Boots is a character from a classic fairy tale from the 1500s (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/filmeswole on 2025-02-13 03:57:48.
896
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TIL that Zack Snyder pitched to Warner Bros a 300 spin-off about Alexander the Great’s homosexual relationship with his general Hephastion, and they found it a little too wild (www.hollywoodreporter.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Odd_Advance_6438 on 2025-02-13 03:04:45.
897
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TIL that the movie Kingdom of Heaven Directors Cut was so long (3 hours and 14 minutes), that it had an overture at the beginning and a 3 min intermission in the middle of the film where you watch... (deathoffilmcriticism.com)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Tall_Ant9568 on 2025-02-13 03:03:07.

Original Title: TIL that the movie Kingdom of Heaven Directors Cut was so long (3 hours and 14 minutes), that it had an overture at the beginning and a 3 min intermission in the middle of the film where you watch a photo of Balian sitting with his fellow Crusaders after a battle to a special musical score

898
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TIL there was a confidential Simple Sabotage directive for CIA workers to use in case of a military coup in WWII. (www.gutenberg.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/AriadneThread on 2025-02-13 02:24:15.
899
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TIL about the West Point Spiked Eggnog Riot of 1826, when cadets, including future Confederate President Jefferson Davis, went on a wild bender after sneaking booze into the academy. Captain Hitch... (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/datcraybetch on 2025-02-12 23:42:37.

Original Title: TIL about the West Point Spiked Eggnog Riot of 1826, when cadets, including future Confederate President Jefferson Davis, went on a wild bender after sneaking booze into the academy. Captain Hitchcock tried to regain control but was attacked, and nearly shot, while a drunk drum corps played outside

900
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TIL that 40% of the recruits in the Red Army in the 1920s had whip marks on their backs, a punishment used by boyars and landlords for rebellions caused by hunger. (en.wikisource.org)
submitted 2 months ago by bOt@zerobytes.monster to c/todayilearned@zerobytes.monster
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The original post: /r/todayilearned by /u/Conscious-Ad-7656 on 2025-02-12 23:32:27.
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