Today I learned
TIL that the ingredient used to make the original root beer, sassafras was banned by the FDA in 1960 since it contained safrole.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Root_beer
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qmxm36/til_that_the_ingredient_used_to_make_the_original/
Today I learned
TIL A shipment containing 55 Oscar statuettes was stolen in the weeks leading up to the 2000 awards. 52 were found a week later in a supermarket dumpster, 1 was found in a drug dealers mansion in 2003, and 2 are still missing.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/72nd_Academy_Awards#Oscar_statuettes_theft
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qmxloj/til_a_shipment_containing_55_oscar_statuettes_was/
Today I learned
TIL that Dolly Parton once entered in a Dolly Parton lookalike contest, and lost, getting told her looks were “too exaggerated”
https://www.cbc.ca/radio/undertheinfluence/dolly-parton-entered-a-dolly-parton-look-alike-contest-and-lost-1.6848403
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qmx639/til_that_dolly_parton_once_entered_in_a_dolly/
Today I learned
TIL that besides inventing television (which he called the “Televisor”), John Logie Baird also attempted to produce diamonds from graphite, a rust-proof glass razor (which shattered), pneumatic shoes (which burst), infrared night-viewing (Noctovision), and mechanical video recording (Phonovision).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Logie_Baird
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qmxrsy/til_that_besides_inventing_television_which_he/
Today I learned
TIL Abba is the name of a well known Swedish fish-canning company that formed in 1838. When the Swedish pop group ABBA negotiated with the canners for the rights to the name, the factory gave their permission, saying "O.K., as long as you don't make us feel ashamed for what you're doing".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA#Official_naming
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qjldad/til_abba_is_the_name_of_a_well_known_swedish/
Today I learned
TIL that Terry Pratchett once changed his German publisher because they inserted a soup commercial into his books, and when confronted about it refused to promise that they wouldn't do it again.
https://lithub.com/the-time-terry-pratchetts-german-publisher-inserted-a-soup-ad-into-his-novel/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qjeq2r/til_that_terry_pratchett_once_changed_his_german/
GNU/Matt :fedora: :kde:
#TIL that you can rip an audio CD in #KDE just by opening it in dolphin and copying out the folder named for the format you want it in.
These are a set of virtual folders that represent the formats supported by your system to rip them into.
How cool is that?
#audiocd #ripping #music #opticaldisc #Linux #tech #deadformats
Today I learned
TIL a nearly blind cat named Jerry Fox wore custom glasses and saved Brooklyn Borough Hall from a fire in 1904. He was on the city payroll as "Assistant Janitor" and when he died, The New York Times ran his obituary.
https://hatchingcatnyc.com/2014/01/27/jerry-fox-cat-brooklyn-borough-hall/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qhcxum/til_a_nearly_blind_cat_named_jerry_fox_wore/
Today I learned
TIL Scientists at the Parkes radio telescope in Australia spent 17 years trying to identify powerful but extremely short radio bursts that would appear at seemingly random intervals. In 2015 they finally identified the cause: a microwave oven at the facility being opened prematurely.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peryton_(astronomy)#Identification
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qgoc1b/til_scientists_at_the_parkes_radio_telescope_in/
Today I learned
TIL that the nerdy pie-maker from Pushing Daisies is Ronan the Accuser in Guardians of the Galaxy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lee_Pace?wprov=sfti1
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qfb5t3/til_that_the_nerdy_piemaker_from_pushing_daisies/
Today I learned
TIL Bloodworms has 4 fangs made of copper, probably the only lifeform on Earth with natural copper teeth
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glycera_dibranchiata
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qer2xh/til_bloodworms_has_4_fangs_made_of_copper/
Today I learned
TIL in the 1990’s Sony released a night-vision video camera that could see through people’s clothing. It was pulled from the market after this was discovered.
https://www.digitalcameraworld.com/cameras/camcorders/this-sony-camera-got-pulled-because-it-had-superman-x-ray-vision-that-could-see-through-clothes
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qduum9/til_in_the_1990s_sony_released_a_nightvision/
daltux
Today I learned
TIL Voltaire had enough money to sit around and think all day because he noticed a flaw in the national lottery which he exploited to win half a million livre, worth as much as $120 million today by some measures
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/voltaire-enlightenment-philosopher-and-lottery-scammer-180967265/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qcih2h/til_voltaire_had_enough_money_to_sit_around_and/
Today I learned
TIL that J.R.R. Tolkien. once received a goblet from a fan inscribed with "One Ring to Rule Them All..." inscribed on the rim in black speech. Tolkien never drank out of it, since it was written in an accursed language, and instead used it as an ashtray.
https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Letter_343
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qb0s53/til_that_jrr_tolkien_once_received_a_goblet_from/
Today I learned
TIL that baby-cut carrots (commonly referred to as baby carrots) are made from misshapen or broken full-sized carrots that are unmarketable, and were first introduced in 1986 as a way o reduce food waste. They're cut into 2-inch sections, shaped, and peeled to give them their appearance
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baby_carrot
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qb6hlt/til_that_babycut_carrots_commonly_referred_to_as/
Today I learned
TIL that human stomach acid is of similar strength to carrion-eaters; it is a much stronger acid (has much lower PH) than that of most animals.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gastric_acid
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qb1f2y/til_that_human_stomach_acid_is_of_similar/
Today I learned
TIL about Gaemana (Alba), A village in Romania, submerged under toxic sludge- waste from mining operations up in the mountains. And it continues.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jxfQVKFBMtM
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qav2gg/til_about_gaemana_alba_a_village_in_romania/
Today I learned
TIL Alton Logan spent 26 years in prison for murder, while a lawyer who knew he was innocent the whole time stayed quiet because his client had confessed to the murder to him and therefore was protected by attorney-client privilege. After his client died, he disclosed the truth and Logan was freed.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/story?id=4687216&page=1
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qar6cd/til_alton_logan_spent_26_years_in_prison_for/
Today I learned
TIL that Boris Karloff was born William Henry Pratt in south-east London and never legally changed his name; he only became a star aged 43 with Frankenstein in 1931, his 82nd film.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boris_Karloff
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1q9jo5k/til_that_boris_karloff_was_born_william_henry/
GNU social JP is a social network, courtesy of GNU social JP管理人. It runs on GNU social, version 2.0.2-dev, available under the GNU Affero General Public License.
All GNU social JP content and data are available under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license.