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“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
History,Curiosities,Interesting FactsMAR 22, 2023

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)

Gabija Saveiskyte
Adelaide May Ross
Indrė Lukošiūtė
Gabija Saveiskyte, Adelaide May Ross and Indrė Lukošiūtė
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They say you can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but what about pandas? We believe that, regardless of your age, you can always learn something new. Just ask the members of Reddit’s ‘Today I Learned’ community! This group, which has an impressive 31 million members, is a wealth of information that’s constantly changing and updating, so below, we’ve gathered some of our favorite recent posts from TIL. 
Keep reading to also find an interview with Alison Winfield-Chislett, founder and director of The Goodlife Centre in the UK, and be sure to share the tidbits of information you find most fascinating with your friends. I’m sure they’d like to learn more about why dishwashers were invented and why there are hundreds of raccoons wreaking havoc in Japan!

#1

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL about Don Ritchie, an Australian who intervened and prevented at least 180 suicide attempts at a notable suicide destination called The Gap. He lived nearby and would approach and ask “Can I help you in some way?”
PRSouthern, Kurosi
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852points

#2

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL One of the largest charitable donations made by a lottery winner came from a man in Canada. Two years after his wife died from cancer, Tom Crist won the lotto and donated everything to organizations fighting the disease. Canada doesn't tax winnings, so Crist donated $40 million.
theotherbogart, Waldemar
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670points

To learn more about why it's important to be a lifelong learner, we reached out to Alison Winfield-Chislett, founder and director of The Goodlife Centre in the UK, and she was kind enough to have a chat with Bored Panda. The Goodlife Centre is an independent learning space in London that offers practical boutique workshops in DIY, Home Maintenance, Decorating, Upholstery, Woodwork & Carpentry, Furniture Upcycling & Restoration and various traditional hand Crafts. It's the perfect place to go to learn something new, which Alison says is important to "help us feel vital and part of life. We can continue to grow until the day we die."

#3

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL in 1952, Jimmy Carter led a team of nuclear scientists in disassembling a Canadian nuclear reactor undergoing meltdown. To accomplish this, Carter, alongside other American military personnel, personally lowered himself into the reactor to disassemble it by hand.
JJKingwolf, Patrick McGarvey
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553points

#4

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL of castaway huts (or depots) which are deliberately placed on isolated islands by governments. They contain supplies and tools which can help people who become stranded there. Most were built by the New Zealand government in the 19th and 20th centuries.
bermuda__, LawrieM
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510points

When it comes to the benefits of learning something new, Alison says, "As we get older we can challenge any belief system that has held us back. ‘I don’t know how to…’ becomes ‘I’m learning how to…’"

Alison also shared with Bored Panda that there's no end to what she's curious about. "I love all materials and processes. The practical methods of making your world personalised leads on forever. There’s always a way to improve what you make."

#5

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL the ancient Nazca got water in the middle of the desert through an engineered series of 46 aqueducts running 12 m underground. They were built around 200-500 AD, and 32 of them are still used by local farmers today.
PianoCharged, Diego Delso
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487points

#6

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL about Josephine Cochrane, who invented the dishwasher because she was fed up of China breaking whilst being hand washed.
blaikes, https://www.kidsdiscover.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Josephine_Cochrane.jpg
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480points

Alison also noted that we can find inspiration for learning anywhere. "I asked myself ‘Why is it called that?’ A little tool known as a ‘Gent’s saw’ led me to learn about the 19th century craft revolution when ‘gentlemen’ tried using their hands like ‘artisans’."

"When we are using our hands to make something, we connect with a part of ourselves that feels like we are home," she added. "There’s no place like it."

If you'd like to learn a new skill, particular one that involves working with your hands, be sure to check out The Goodlife Centre's website right here.

#7

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL by passing a law requiring pharmacies to be owned by a licensed pharmacist, North Dakota has essentially done away with corporate chain pharmacies. Corporations that own pharmacies must be majority owned by licensed pharmacists.
Cjustinstockton, Nathaniel Yeo
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459points

#8

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL that mature bull elephants play a pivotal role in elephant society. The absence of mature bulls creates juvenile delinquency in younger bulls, who will soon enter musth. When mature bulls were introduced into areas with a high concentration of delinquents, they soon put a stop to this behavior.
TheGuyNoOneSees, Roger Brown
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406points

#9

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL of Movile Cave, which has been completely sealed off from the outside world for 5.5 million years and evolved dozens of animal species found nowhere else, sustained only by toxic chemicals in the air and water, not photosynthesis.
Cherimoose, https://kiarayew.com/the-secret-of-movile-cave/
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395points

#10

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL Roman concrete structures such as the Pantheon and aqueducts are ultra durable because of lime clasts. While many modern concrete structures crumble after a few decades, Roman concrete has self-healing functionality from lime clasts which allow their structures to survive millennia.
The_Ry_Ry, Bernard Gagnon
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386points

#11

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL in 1993 Mattel's Barbie division accidentally released a Gay Ken doll. Despite being quickly recalled, it remains the best selling Ken doll of all time.
Ike_Arumba, Cyle Suesz for In The Know
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341points

#12

TIL that in 2014, Diana Nyad became the first person to swim from Cuba to Florida without using a shark cage. She endured a 104-mile swim through jellyfish and shark-infested waters, taking approximately 53 hours. Amazingly, she was 64 years old when she made this swim.
navigation007
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338points

#13

TIL of Dr. Jochem Hoyer, a German transplantation surgeon who argued in favour of altruistic organ donations. After a colleague criticized him for praising "living donors as long as it is NOT you who has to donate" Hoyer donated a kidney to an unknown stranger to make a quote "very strong statement".
NewAccountEachYear
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329points

#14

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL in 1974 the band Ace had their only hit, How Long (has this been going on). The song is not about a cheating girlfriend - it’s about the band’s bass player, who was moonlighting with another band.
edfitz83, https://www.discogs.com/artist/300792-Ace-7#images/82990496
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318points

#15

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL that Nikola Tesla once worked for Thomas Edison but left due to a disagreement over payment for his work on improving Edison's DC power systems. Tesla went on to develop AC power systems, which became the basis for modern electrical grids.
Yolo0o, Unknown author
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304points

#16

TIL A slave couple escaped to the North in 1848 by disguising her, a light-skinned black woman, as his owner, and him, darker-skinned, as her valet. She was illiterate at the time, so they put her arm in a sling against signatures and pretended she was sick. An acquaintance nearly recognized them.
nakedsamurai
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301points

#17

TIL that scientists created a 60 year long experiment in Siberia, selectively breeding wild foxes who showed friendly traits. 40 generations later they were as friendly as dogs!
TryingTruly
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290points

#18

TIL Impressed with his energy and ability to do the splits, the owner of the Oakland A's hired an 11-year old named Stanley Burrell as a batboy and personal play-by-play announcer. A's player Reggie Jackson gave the kid a nickname, Hammer, who would later become MC Hammer.
theotherbogart
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260points

#19

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL Sperm whales use babysitters. Sperm whale youths cannot dive as deep as their mothers so when the mother needs to forage in the deep the youth is kept safe by swimming with other adult whales.
jamescookenotthatone, 7inchs
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256points

#20

“Today I Learned”: 40 Lesser-Known Things About The World That Should Be Common Knowledge (New Pics)
TIL A repairman wanted to get out of work early and intentionally started a fire, causing $700,000,000 in damages to the USS Miami submarine.
ElJamoquio, Official U.S. Navy Page
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246points
270
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