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todayilearned Bot

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@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that as a teenager in 1826, future American frontier legend Kit Carson ran away from his saddlery apprenticeship in Missouri and traveled to what is now New Mexico. His master advertised about his runaway apprentice, Carson, but only offered a 1-cent reward to anyone who would return him.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kit_Carson

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r6svgb/til_that_as_a_teenager_in_1826_future_american/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL about Florence E. Allen, who, in 1922, became the first woman to serve on a state supreme court. Allen was a suffragist who worked tirelessly to improve women's legal rights and who encouraged young women to become lawyers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Florence_E._Allen

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r6qhgi/til_about_florence_e_allen_who_in_1922_became_the/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL horses originally evolved in North America but went extinct there thousands of years before being reintroduced by the Spanish — starting with Columbus’ second voyage in 1493.

https://americanindian.si.edu/exhibitions/horsenation/return.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r6ppms/til_horses_originally_evolved_in_north_america/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that the Wollemi Pine is considered to be the oldest living organism on Earth. It has cloned itself, i.e. created an unbroken line of perfect genetic copies for over 60 million years.

https://theconversation.com/where-the-old-things-are-australias-most-ancient-trees-65893

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r3c129/til_that_the_wollemi_pine_is_considered_to_be_the/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL Trevor Rabin wrote the entire song 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' during one trip to the bathroom. It was originally supposed to be his own solo project, but one by one members of the prog rock group Yes kept joining the project until eventually it was recorded and released as a Yes song.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Owner_of_a_Lonely_Heart

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r35yug/til_trevor_rabin_wrote_the_entire_song_owner_of_a/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL orcas & dolphins have been observed for the first time working as a team to hunt salmon off the coast of Canada. The dolphins act as scouts in pursuit of the fish, while the orcas follow closely behind. When the orcas break their prey apart at the surface to share, the dolphins get the leftovers

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/dec/11/orca-killer-whale-dolphin-hunt-salmon-study-british-columbia-canada?utm_source=DamnInteresting

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r2s2d5/til_orcas_dolphins_have_been_observed_for_the/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL Jessica Biel once had to shoot an arrow right at the camera for an action shot on Blade: Trilogy. To protect the camera and crew, they put up a thick piece of Plexiglass with a hole cut through for the lens to see out... and Biel nailed the lens, destroying the $300,000 camera.

https://petapixel.com/2025/05/15/jessica-biel-destroyed-a-300000-camera-on-blade-trinity-set-with-a-perfect-arrow-shot/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qzrfh6/til_jessica_biel_once_had_to_shoot_an_arrow_right/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL English professional footballer Charlie Oatway, is actually called 'Anthony Philip David Terry Frank Donald Stanley Gerry Gordon Stephen James Oatway'. His parents named him after the entire 1973 first team squad. His Auntie said "he'd look a right Charlie" and that name stuck.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charlie_Oatway

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qwus57/til_english_professional_footballer_charlie/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that article 282, section 22 of the Treaty of Versailles, following the end of the First World War, establishes that 435 Hz shall be the standard concert pitch of the signatory nations

https://99percentinvisible.org/episode/mini-stories-volume-8/4/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qwsa3w/til_that_article_282_section_22_of_the_treaty_of/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that after the show In Living Color aired a live show opposite the Super Bowl halftime broadcast and got huge ratings, the NFL opted to include major pop culture acts every year since

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Super_Bowl_halftime_shows

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qws27p/til_that_after_the_show_in_living_color_aired_a/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL Astronomer Fritz Zwicky, who first postulated the existence of and coined the term “Dark Matter”, liked to refer to people whom he did not agree with as "spherical bastards", because, as he explained, “they were bastards no matter which way one looked at them.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fritz_Zwicky

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qwkfdt/til_astronomer_fritz_zwicky_who_first_postulated/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL about Deinococcus radiodurans, one of the most radiation-resistant organisms known, being genetically modified to detoxify mercury in radioactive waste

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deinococcus_radiodurans#Applications

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qrgmyp/til_about_deinococcus_radiodurans_one_of_the_most/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL The term "buck" for a U.S. dollar originated in the 18th-century American frontier, where deerskins (or buckskins) were a common unit of trade and currency. During this period, a single buckskin was often valued at or traded for goods roughly equivalent to one dollar.

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Why-Is-a-Dollar-Called-a-Buck

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qnp3d3/til_the_term_buck_for_a_us_dollar_originated_in/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that in the 80’s Dolly Parton started a local program saying if two people partnered together and both graduated high school, she would give each of them $500, this dropped the dropout rates from 35% to 6%

https://imaginationlibrary.com/the-dollywood-foundation/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qn181j/til_that_in_the_80s_dolly_parton_started_a_local/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that two tiny island nations, Tuvalu and Anguilla, generate a massive part of their GDP thanks to their internet domain extensions. Tuvalu earns millions from .tv due to streaming sites like Twitch, while Anguilla expects to make tens of millions this year alone thanks to the .ai boom.

https://www.lanacion.com.ar/tecnologia/como-2-letras-le-cambiaron-la-economia-a-dos-islas-en-el-medio-del-oceano-nid06092023/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qkdhxf/til_that_two_tiny_island_nations_tuvalu_and/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that Diocletian not only split the Roman Empire, but that his retirement palace became the core of the city of Split, Croatia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diocletian

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qi1odx/til_that_diocletian_not_only_split_the_roman/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL there is a protein in the saliva of vampire bats that prevents blood from clotting, enabling them to drink as much as they need. It is called Draculin

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Draculin

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qi1gsd/til_there_is_a_protein_in_the_saliva_of_vampire/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that scientists can estimate prehistoric puberty from bones, showing Ice Age adolescents matured similarly to modern humans. A rare case of a teen with dwarfism also provides insight into social practices of the time.

https://scitechdaily.com/new-research-unveils-25000-year-old-ice-age-adolescents-went-through-puberty-just-like-modern-teens/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qi0umk/til_that_scientists_can_estimate_prehistoric/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that the U.S. initially opposed British efforts to overthrow the democratically-elected Iranian government. Secretary of State Dean Acheson even stated that the British were "destructive, and determined on a rule-or-ruin policy in Iran". However, the American position shifted after Eisenhower.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mohammad_Mosaddegh

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qi06ni/til_that_the_us_initially_opposed_british_efforts/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that rapper Coolio's cameo in Batman & Robin was an Easter Egg setting up a fifth movie in the series. Coolio is uncredited as playing Dr. Jonathan Crane aka The Scarcrow who would've been the main villain in Batman Unchained.

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/coolio-was-courted-play-scarecrow-scrapped-batman-robin-sequel-973978/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qhze8s/til_that_rapper_coolios_cameo_in_batman_robin_was/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL the American Revolutionary War was preceded by the Boston Massacre, where British troops fired upon a group of locals protesting unfair taxes who were throwing snowballs and rocks.

https://www.nps.gov/articles/000/boston-massacre.htm

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qas96w/til_the_american_revolutionary_war_was_preceded/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL only 8,012 of the 1928 US $1 bill were circulated in America. The rest were stored in a vault for 15 years. From November 1948 to February 1949; 1,872,012 of these $1 bills were sent to Puerto Rico, because "these notes would raise questions if circulated in the continental United States"

https://stacksbowers.com/a-numismatic-oddity-the-series-of-1928-1-legal-tender-note/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q96a5p/til_only_8012_of_the_1928_us_1_bill_were/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that for centuries there has been a secret wing to a museum in Naples, where all the erotic art found in Pompeii was locked away. The cabinet remained closed for more than a hundred years – the doorway even bricked up at one point – and was only fully opened to the public in 2000.

https://www.amusingplanet.com/2016/11/naples-secret-museum-of-erotic-art.html

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q95ee2/til_that_for_centuries_there_has_been_a_secret/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that Jack Kirby, co-creator of Captain America, the X-Men, and the Hulk, also worked as production designer for "Turbo Teen"—a 1984 Saturday morning cartoon about a teenager who could transform into a sports car.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turbo_Teen

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q94s27/til_that_jack_kirby_cocreator_of_captain_america/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that in the 1950s, Soviet scientists began breeding foxes to study how wolves might have become domesticated. Their experiment eventually produced a lineage of tame animals known as Silver Foxes, which are still bred today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Domesticated_silver_fox

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q93htc/til_that_in_the_1950s_soviet_scientists_began/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL England’s first official state lottery was launched by Queen Elizabeth I in 1566 to fund repairs to ports and strengthen the realm. Every ticket holder was guaranteed a prize, plus immunity from one arrest (except for murder, treason, piracy, or felony).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lottery

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q92dpn/til_englands_first_official_state_lottery_was/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that sharks have the ability to locate prey by sensing the weak electric fields produced by their muscles contracting. They do this via jelly-filled canals called Ampullae of Lorenzini connect pores in their skin to sensory bulbs that detect small differences in voltage.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ampullae_of_Lorenzini#:~:text=Sharks%20are%20much,%5B6%5D

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q7crgq/til_that_sharks_have_the_ability_to_locate_prey/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL our brains create mental "chapters" of the day based on our internal goals, not just environmental changes - walking into a restaurant might not trigger a new chapter if it's unrelated to your priorities

https://news.columbia.edu/news/our-brains-divide-day-chapters-new-psychology-research-offers-details-how

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q7cozv/til_our_brains_create_mental_chapters_of_the_day/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that Tyrannosaurus rex had a binocular visual range wider than modern hawks and may have been able to see up to 6 km (3.7 miles) away.

https://www.snexplores.org/article/supersight-dino-king

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q7c5ml/til_that_tyrannosaurus_rex_had_a_binocular_visual/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that during WWII bomb runs, specialist crewmen called bombardiers (or bomb-aimers) measured crosswinds, altitude, and speed using ground observation and instruments, allowing heavy bombers to bomb accurately from level flight instead of dive-bombing.

https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/Bombardier.cfm

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q6ih7s/til_that_during_wwii_bomb_runs_specialist_crewmen/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL Billy Joel was in a two man metal band called Attila. They released their eponymous album in 1970 (three years before Piano Man) and it’s considered one of the worst albums of all time.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attila_(rock_band)

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q3qy3i/til_billy_joel_was_in_a_two_man_metal_band_called/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL that when filming Star Trek IV: A Voyage Home, a woman had her car towed by the film crew. She got a role as an extra, then improvised a response to actors filming - which caused her to be paid for a speaking role and allowed her to get the car back.

https://www.looper.com/1481086/star-trek-4-the-voyage-home-layla-sarakalo/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q2v8iv/til_that_when_filming_star_trek_iv_a_voyage_home/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL a 8 year old boy drove his 4 year old sister to McDonald's because she was hungry, he learned to drive from youtube, he obeyed traffic rules, stopped at red lights, adhered to the speed limit and didn't sideswipe a single garbage can, at McDonald's he paid with his piggy bank and got his burger.

https://www.sfgate.com/national/article/Boy-8-drives-sister-4-to-McDonald-s-for-a-11068868.php?cmpid=reddit-mobile

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1pxyp4t/til_a_8_year_old_boy_drove_his_4_year_old_sister/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL Spice Girls started as "Touch" until Geri Halliwell rebranded them by their sassy personalities. And then, "Smart Spice", a girl named Michelle Stephenson was removed and replaced by "Baby Spice".

https://www.tyla.com/celebrity/spice-girls-michelle-stephenson-805730-20221203

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1pvgh5c/til_spice_girls_started_as_touch_until_geri/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random
@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL a Chinese princess told her brother the king that it wasn't fair that he had a big harem of concubines and she didn't have any, so he gave her 30 handsome men as her harem

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Liu_Chuyu

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1puozoc/til_a_chinese_princess_told_her_brother_the_king/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random

TIL about the weathering hypothesis, a concept in public health which hypothesizes that the prevalence of illnesses like hypertension in socioeconomically marginalized communities is caused, not by poor lifestyle choices, but by chronic stress.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weathering_hypothesis

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1puoyw1/til_about_the_weathering_hypothesis_a_concept_in/

@todayilearned@noc.social avatar todayilearned Bot , to random