Science & Technology,History,Curiosities,Interesting FactsJUL 20, 2023

“Today I Learned”: People Share 50 Fascinating Things They Didn’t Learn In School (New Pics)

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Ever had that feeling of being overwhelmed by the very digital world we currently live in? Information zooming past you faster than a supersonic jet, gadgets updating quicker than you can say "iPhone 23," and jobs transforming like a chameleon on a rainbow? Well, you're not alone. A lot of this stuff can escalate to overwhelming levels, especially when you're using technology to unearth interesting or, more specifically, educational information. I mean, come on, you open Google and the amount of data on just one topic can quickly snowball into a digital avalanche just by skimming through the first page (we don't talk about page 2 of Google, that's another topic entirely).

So, what if you want to learn something new? You know, bite-sized chunks of intriguing info, tidbits of knowledge to store in your brain and impress your friends during a sleepover when the topic of discussion becomes something random. Well, look no further than the Today I Learned forum on Reddit as it collects all of that into one large space. And today we are here to share with you, Pandas, some of the most interesting and recent facts that have emerged from there.

#1

“Today I Learned”: People Share 50 Fascinating Things They Didn’t Learn In School (New Pics)

TIL there was a briefly popular social movement in the early 1930s called the "Technocracy Movement." Technocrats proposed replacing politicians and businessmen with scientists and engineers who had the expertise to manage the economy.

ZenithTSF, Social Security Administration

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590points

#2

TIL that In 2018, A hacker broke into people’s routers (100,000 of them) and patched their vulnerabilities up so that they couldn’t be abused by other hackers.

smoke-season, facts

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502points

#3

TIL that Walmart tried and failed to establish itself in Germany in the early 2000s. One of the speculated reasons for its failure is that Germans found certain team-building activities and the forced greeting and smiling at customers unnerving.

ylenias, TaurusEmerald

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407points

Bored Panda reached out to Pooja Agarwal, a cognitive scientist and assistant professor of psychology, to discuss the cognitive implications of navigating digital information. Agarwal is also the author of the book "Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning," which delves into effective teaching strategies grounded in cognitive science.

When asked about using platforms like Reddit's "Today I Learned" for bite-sized learning, Agarwal stated, "From a cognitive science perspective, platforms like 'Today I Learned' on Reddit can actually be quite beneficial for learning. They align well with established cognitive learning theories, particularly those emphasizing the importance of active recall and spacing, both elements central to my book 'Powerful Teaching'."

#4

TIL the earliest known name for a pet was Nedjem, a cat owned by Puimre high priest of Amun in the 15th Century BC. Nedjem translates to 'the sweet one', meaning the very first named pet was a Sweetie.

ZizZizZiz, 2nd Chance for Strays

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394points

#5

TIL that STAR WARS released a Christmas music album in 1980 and the producers wanted a better lead singer for the track "R2-D2 We Wish You a Merry Christmas" so they asked the 17 year old kid who was sweeping floors at the studio, and he nailed it. His name was Jon Bon Jovi.

Anadyne, 949whom

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391points

#6

TIL of Ida & Isidor Straus, a couple aboard the Titanic the night it sank. Isidor had a chance to join his wife on a life boat, but stayed behind to give his place away to a child. Ida, refusing to leave her husband behind, too left the life boat. They died together arm in arm when the ship sank.

Unfair_Programmer_42, wikimedia

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375points

The scientist also shared her insights on the immense volume of online information, stating, "The volume of information available online can be both a blessing and a curse... quick and accessible knowledge from platforms like Reddit can be so effective. They provide the opportunity for micro-learning moments that can, cumulatively, contribute to significant cognitive development. Yet, it's crucial to remember that the quality and depth of our interaction with that information matter. We need to actively engage with it and make connections to our existing knowledge if we feel the need to do so in certain cases."

#7

TIL That Historians Believe Cats Domesticated Themselves

PlopCopTopPopMopStop, kieutruongphoto

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342points

#8

TIL orcas cultural fads. In the 1980s one such fad was wearing dead salmon as hats. It spread to three separate Pacific pods before suddenly going out of style.

Milt_Torfelson, thestranger

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337points

#9

TIL that while filming The Terminator, Arnold Schwarzenegger went into a LA restaurant in battle-damaged Terminator makeup. He asked for a table in character and since no one knew who the Terminator was yet, the host and everyone in the restaurant started freaking out, screaming, and quickly left

SappyGilmore, elperiodico

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330points

Discussing the impact of the high-paced digital environment on cognitive function and information retention, Pooja mentioned that, "The high-paced digital environment is a double-edged sword when it comes to cognitive function and information retention... In my book 'Powerful Teaching,' me and my co-author emphasize strategies like retrieval practice and interleaving, which encourage deeper processing and enhance retention." She shared with Bored Panda before also adding to her statement that, "these strategies can also be effectively applied in online environments."

#10

TIL octopus have nine brains – one mini-brain in each arm and another in the center of their bodies. Each arm can independently taste, touch and perform basic movements, but all arms can work together when prompted by the central brain.

fiureddit, Ashley Christiano

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326points

#11

TIL that in 2002, Chumbawamba accepted $100k from General Motors for the rights to use one of their songs in a Pontiac commercial. The band then donated it to a corporate watchdog group that used the money to launch an information campaign against GM.

archarbor, telegraph

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324points

#12

TIL about John Smeaton, a former baggage handler at Glasgow Airport. He helped thwart the 2007 Glasgow Airport attack by kicking one of the attackers in the groin. He was awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal for his actions.

WouldbeWanderer, thescottishsun

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321points

#13

TIL that playing Tetris after a traumatic event can help prevent post-traumatic stress symptoms.

Blade_982, Brandenads

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295points

Addressing the concept of learning something new every day, she emphasized the role of active engagement and 'spacing,' stating, "Learning something new every day is indeed beneficial from a cognitive perspective, provided it involves active engagement and is not simply passive absorption... Spacing out learning over time can greatly enhance long-term retention."

#14

TIL In 2013 a couple walking their dog in California found 8 coffee cans containing over 1,427 gold coins worth over $10 million. The original source of the hoard is still unknown.

Jd20001, Kagin's Inc

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286points

#15

TIL of the 1850 shipwreck of the Jenny Lind on a South Pacific coral reef. 28 people survived for 37 days on a tiny patch of sand because a passenger created a water distillation system from salvaged cookware capable of making 25 gallons a day of freshwater.

triviafrenzy, LittleT889

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282points

#16

TIL that the choir in the title sequence of Mr Bean is singing ‘Ecce homo qui est faba’, which translates to ‘Behold the man who is a bean.’ in Latin.

W1ngedSentinel, classicfm

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277points

The assistant professor also provided advice to you Pandas, on navigating online forums for learning, suggesting, "To navigate online forums effectively for learning, individuals need to be proactive... They should engage in active learning strategies... engage with the information over time, returning to it after a while with a fresh mindset. We should be critical consumers of information, cross-checking facts from reliable sources to minimize misinformation that we often tend to overlook, especially with the rise of social media when books also became available online or as articles."

#17

TIL In Scotland, two students went to an art exhibition and left a pineapple on a table to see if it would become art. When they returned four days later, the pineapple was still there and had been covered with a glass display case

nerdy_subha, LloydJack16

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273points

#18

TIL that 'Nothing' was a Shakespearean nickname for the Vulva... 'Much ado about Nothing' could just as easily have been called 'A lot of fuss about Fannies'

ArcTan_Pete, Shakespeare Memes

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272points

#19

TIL in the original German ending of the fairy tale Snow White, the evil queen is forced to put on red-hot iron shoes and dance until she drops dead.

Skeleton_Pilots, Landsbókasafn Íslands

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255points

#20

TIL that Austrian actress Eva von Berne was presumed to be dead for 70+ years because a PR consultant at MGM accidentally reported her death in 1930. 96-year-old von Berne said in 2006: "It was fortunate that the world thought that I died. So I did not have to deal with autograph hunters."

ylenias, imdb

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247points

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