Recent comments in /f/todayilearned
Wurm42 t1_ja2sk5t wrote
Reply to comment by E_Snap in TIL Tolkien assisted on the Oxford Dictionary's first edition, focused on 'W' words waggle to warlock. He "learned more in those two years than in any other"; and certain etymologies continued to puzzle him for years, with many pages of notes written later on 'walrus' for a lecture at Leeds by PianoCharged
"I need to do something SERIOUSLY escapist if I'm going to stay sane in the trenches of Flanders."
UncleYimbo t1_ja2sisd wrote
Reply to comment by RainManToothpicks in TIL certain moths have developed sound absorbing wings that make it harder for bats to hunt and eat them with their echolocation. The structure of the moth wings might someday help people soundproof places by RainManToothpicks
But why? Seems there's no need.
on_ t1_ja2sc1o wrote
Reply to TIL about Demodex, or eyelash mites. They are too small to see with the naked eye, and feed off of the dead skin cells of humans. Almost every adult human alive has an eyelash mite population living on their face. by lonewolf9378
The person who discover it probably had a hard night that day. Is the world ready to embrace this nightmare?
Potatoswatter t1_ja2sabs wrote
Reply to comment by VanAgain in TIL in 1975 King Charles III (then a Prince) was the British monarchy's first qualified scuba Diver and first to dive under the Arctic ice. by mitchanium
The article says almost nothing about this expedition except that it was a “collaboration” with a doctor. It sounds more like a holiday with a friend than anything military.
Nivekian13 t1_ja2s4dx wrote
Reply to comment by duganaok in TIL Poltergeist, which came out in 1982, was rated PG. This is despite not just the movie fitting perfectly into the horror genre, but also many adult themes including the smoking of marijuana and a deep dive into the occult. by duganaok
There was no “occult” in the first film.
on_ t1_ja2s0zf wrote
Reply to TIL of the 1955 Le Mans disaster. French driver Pierre Levegh crashed into a crowd of spectators. The crash, explosion and subsequent fire killed 84 and injured more than 120. It is still the deadliest car race crash ever. by triviafrenzy
The fuel fire raised the temperature of the remaining Elektron bodywork past its ignition temperature, which was lower than that of other metal alloys due to its high magnesium content. The alloy burst into white-hot flames, showering the track and crowd with magnesium embers, made worse by rescue workers unfamiliar with magnesium fires who poured water onto the inferno, greatly intensifying the fire.[14][9] As a result, the car burned for several hours.
2KoolAwYe t1_ja2rxmh wrote
Seahawk124 t1_ja2rx6t wrote
Reply to Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
It knows we got some nasty shit down here and doesn't want it either!
musicmatze t1_ja2rv2t wrote
Reply to comment by [deleted] in TIL that the 1980 miles of Alaska’s Yukon River is only crossed by 4 bridges. By comparison, the slightly longer Mississippi River is has more than 132 bridges. by triviafrenzy
And I crossed them all, as far as I can remember. Yukon is beautiful!
jippyzippylippy t1_ja2roay wrote
Reply to comment by OldMork in Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
Yeah, but the earth and the moon were probably still molten rock, so that wouldn't have been such a good time.
sid_raj7 t1_ja2rigk wrote
Reply to comment by UncleYimbo in TIL there's a rock formation in Saudi Arabia about 6 meters high and 9 meters wide, split curiously in half and balanced on two small, natural pedestals. The origin of the Al Naslaa rock formation is unknown. by OccludedFug
They cut it with his moustache
VanAgain t1_ja2rg8k wrote
Reply to comment by Potatoswatter in TIL in 1975 King Charles III (then a Prince) was the British monarchy's first qualified scuba Diver and first to dive under the Arctic ice. by mitchanium
Most young men do this kind of thing given alcohol. The type of front line military experience the royals endure would not appeal to "most young men." Check local enlistment stats.
earthmann t1_ja2rewx wrote
Khelthuzaad t1_ja2rbmc wrote
Reply to comment by tattooed_dinosaur in TIL there's a rock formation in Saudi Arabia about 6 meters high and 9 meters wide, split curiously in half and balanced on two small, natural pedestals. The origin of the Al Naslaa rock formation is unknown. by OccludedFug
How about a teenage boy using an children cards game to summon ancient Egyptian Gods and defeat an ancient evil with an huge dick?
nitzua t1_ja2ra1r wrote
Reply to TIL that from 1991 to 2007, tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris Cos. successfully marketed Capri Sun to children, based on their executives' experience selling tobacco to young people. by 99-bottlesofbeer
these days they've transitioned to anti vape ads
Holycrap328 t1_ja2qqh5 wrote
Reply to comment by Chucks_u_Farley in TIL Tolkien assisted on the Oxford Dictionary's first edition, focused on 'W' words waggle to warlock. He "learned more in those two years than in any other"; and certain etymologies continued to puzzle him for years, with many pages of notes written later on 'walrus' for a lecture at Leeds by PianoCharged
Derived from "Entymology, which is, of course, the study of Ents.
tokhar t1_ja2qo38 wrote
Reply to TIL in 1975 King Charles III (then a Prince) was the British monarchy's first qualified scuba Diver and first to dive under the Arctic ice. by mitchanium
But the second to dive under Camilla‘s skirts.
[deleted] t1_ja2qo29 wrote
Reply to comment by quick_dudley in Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
[deleted]
MacDegger t1_ja2qg1u wrote
Reply to comment by Ameisen in TIL Tolkien assisted on the Oxford Dictionary's first edition, focused on 'W' words waggle to warlock. He "learned more in those two years than in any other"; and certain etymologies continued to puzzle him for years, with many pages of notes written later on 'walrus' for a lecture at Leeds by PianoCharged
Walvis-paard -> walrus?
Dunno ... sound s fishy.
Potatoswatter t1_ja2qblr wrote
Reply to comment by VanAgain in TIL in 1975 King Charles III (then a Prince) was the British monarchy's first qualified scuba Diver and first to dive under the Arctic ice. by mitchanium
Most young men do this kind of thing given the choice.
themooseiscool t1_ja2q0b7 wrote
Reply to comment by UristMasterRace in TIL about the only double barrel cannon in the world. When it was its first tested during the American Civil War, the chain snapped immediately and one ball tore into a nearby cabin, knocking down its chimney; the other spun off erratically and struck a nearby cow, killing it instantly. by ExpertPreference8481
Was it grapeshot though?
Parafault t1_ja2pumw wrote
Reply to TIL that from 1991 to 2007, tobacco conglomerate Philip Morris Cos. successfully marketed Capri Sun to children, based on their executives' experience selling tobacco to young people. by 99-bottlesofbeer
I not only used to drink them, but I thought that they were healthy.
APlayerHater t1_ja2sl36 wrote
Reply to comment by blakerabbit in TIL Tolkien assisted on the Oxford Dictionary's first edition, focused on 'W' words waggle to warlock. He "learned more in those two years than in any other"; and certain etymologies continued to puzzle him for years, with many pages of notes written later on 'walrus' for a lecture at Leeds by PianoCharged
Let's be honest here. The animal basically is just a whale horse.