Recent comments in /f/todayilearned
duganaok OP t1_ja2w6zn wrote
Reply to comment by Nivekian13 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
Then whatever you call the non-Christian oriented psychic lady.
Admetus t1_ja2vzff wrote
Reply to comment by frostanon 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
He realised that language is so closely related to those things he basically developed his own Norse/Celtic epic to carry his invented language!
DirtyDanTheManlyMan t1_ja2vzcj wrote
Reply to comment by NativeMasshole 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
Chik fil A’s getting really crazy with their advertising
Rickdaninja t1_ja2vwvl wrote
Reply to comment by Tretij_Rebenok_ 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
Great episode.
AvonMexicola t1_ja2vtwk 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
Note the row of people being decapitated by a car hood.
Landlubber77 t1_ja2vpnc 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
Self Contained Underwater Breathing Authoritarian
02buddha02 t1_ja2vlvi wrote
Reply to comment by Youpunyhumans in Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
My poor man, I'm sorry for your down votes.
EndIsNighLetsGetHi t1_ja2vi7d wrote
Reply to comment by MixedPhaseFlow in TIL of the Battle of San Jacinto. Just six weeks after the Texans terrible loss at The Alamo in 1836. The Texans regrouped under Sam Houston, and surprised the Mexican forces and overwhelming defeated the Mexicans. The Texans had 11 soldiers killed and the Mexicans lost 650. by triviafrenzy
Used to take field trips there as a little kid
Ben0ut t1_ja2v4vr wrote
Reply to comment by Khelthuzaad 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
...and that's the story of the weirdest game of Go Fish I have ever played.
The End
kurburux t1_ja2v4hx wrote
Reply to comment by Hattix in TIL that despite having brains the size of poppy seeds, bees are able to recognize and remember human faces. In a study, researchers paired images of human faces with sugar-laced water, and bees were able to recognize and remember the faces even when the reward was no longer present. by MaleficentTop6074
And bumblebees like to play with toys.
>Additionally, when bees “play,” it may also mean that they can experience feelings, too.
>“It goes to show, once more, that despite their little size and tiny brains, they are more than small robotic beings,” Samadi Galpayage, a Ph.D. student in the study, said in a statement to the university. “They may actually experience some kind of positive emotional states, even if rudimentary, like other larger fluffy, or not so fluffy, animals do. This sort of finding has implications to our understanding of sentience and welfare of insects and will, hopefully, encourage us to respect and protect life on Earth ever more.”
halermine t1_ja2v3kb wrote
Reply to comment by Pogue_Mahone_ 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
‘Walmart’
dykeag t1_ja2utuu wrote
Reply to comment by dishonourableaccount in 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
That's probably not a bad decision, honestly
Dawnawaken92 t1_ja2up7d wrote
Reply to comment by formerlyanonymous_ in TIL of the Battle of San Jacinto. Just six weeks after the Texans terrible loss at The Alamo in 1836. The Texans regrouped under Sam Houston, and surprised the Mexican forces and overwhelming defeated the Mexicans. The Texans had 11 soldiers killed and the Mexicans lost 650. by triviafrenzy
I thought we kept the leg
Dawnawaken92 t1_ja2uliz wrote
Reply to comment by DoomGoober in TIL of the Battle of San Jacinto. Just six weeks after the Texans terrible loss at The Alamo in 1836. The Texans regrouped under Sam Houston, and surprised the Mexican forces and overwhelming defeated the Mexicans. The Texans had 11 soldiers killed and the Mexicans lost 650. by triviafrenzy
As a proud Texan who lives in San Antonio. I would like to respectfully state. REMEMBER THE ALAMO!
The_Presitator t1_ja2u7h8 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
There is an excellent engineering disaster podcast that did an episode of this. "Well there's your problem" is the name and they're hilarious if you don't mind them getting off topic occasionally.
Theyos t1_ja2u3rs wrote
Reply to comment by Scottland83 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
Oh yeah, fair enough.
Though I will say some of those assimilation/Queen death scenes in First Contact went hard, and Tuvok's Event Horizon fantasies were around before Picard brought the mood down.
DrBubbles t1_ja2tz7h wrote
Reply to comment by Tretij_Rebenok_ 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
Shut up, Donny
smackmeharddaddy t1_ja2ts5b wrote
Reply to comment by Bruce-7891 in Today I Learned that the moon distances itself from the Earth by about 3,78 cm(1.49 inches) every year. by LucasOIntoxicado
I have a dark side that you haven't seen yet
Objective_Kick2930 t1_ja2tl4k wrote
Reply to comment by ReplyFriendly8071 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
Research into words never stops, whether ancient or brand new, so it's still a job people do have.
pseudocultist t1_ja2thc0 wrote
Reply to comment by gc3 in 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
Methamphetamine. We were using amphetamines but "supposedly" not meth. But the Air Force was probably adding meth to the pilots injections. It's mildly contentious.
Tretij_Rebenok_ t1_ja2tgkf wrote
Reply to comment by theoldgreenwalrus 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 am the Walrus
Pogue_Mahone_ t1_ja2srz1 wrote
Reply to comment by AwesomeInPerson 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
Wal means strange or odd iirc. Hence the areas of wallonia, wallachia, wales etc on the borders of germanic peoples and also walnut which came from the mediterranean area and was strange to germanic peoples
Detriumph t1_ja2w7ol wrote
Reply to comment by Dawnawaken92 in TIL of the Battle of San Jacinto. Just six weeks after the Texans terrible loss at The Alamo in 1836. The Texans regrouped under Sam Houston, and surprised the Mexican forces and overwhelming defeated the Mexicans. The Texans had 11 soldiers killed and the Mexicans lost 650. by triviafrenzy
The what now?