Notices by Today I learned (todayilearned@noc.social)

TIL about Grand Theft Hamlet, a documentary where two unemployed actors put on a full production of Hamlet — staged and filmed entirely inside the video game Grand Theft Auto Online (2013)

https://www.undiscoveredcountryfilm.com/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j9spm5/til_about_grand_theft_hamlet_a_documentary_where/

TIL that the US National Park Service contributed a whopping $55.6 billion to the US economy in 2023, boosting local economies in every state

https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/national-parks-contributed-record-high-$55-6-billion-to-u-s-economy-supported-415-000-jobs-in-2023.htm
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j8s4nt/til_that_the_us_national_park_service_contributed/

Til the oriental Orthodox Church split from the rest of Christianity over their belief of Jesus nature. The oriental church believe he had one nature that is both human and divine at the same time. We’ll most other churches believe he had two natures that are divine and human united into person.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oriental_Orthodox_Churches
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j8s5k5/til_the_oriental_orthodox_church_split_from_the/

TIL there's an abandoned town in Turkey with a failed property development of Disney-esque castles

https://www.architecturaldigest.com/gallery/burj-al-babas
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j8ngno/til_theres_an_abandoned_town_in_turkey_with_a/

TIL that Romania has an actual tool called a "tesla"! In Romania, a tesla is a traditional woodworking tool similar to an adze, used for shaping wood. But more interestingly, there's a Romanian saying: "a-ți da cu tesla în coaie", which literally means "to hit yourself in the balls with a tesla."

https://ro.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tesl%C4%83
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j8kz71/til_that_romania_has_an_actual_tool_called_a/

TIL before the Great Depression (1930's), the US President at the time came up with a tariff strategy called the Hawley Tariff Act, despite warnings against it. It was imposed on many other nations, including Mexico and Canada, who then retaliated with their own tariffs, causing worldwide suffering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Smoot%E2%80%93Hawley_Tariff_Act
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j8jgyp/til_before_the_great_depression_1930s_the_us/

TIL Evel Knievel holds the world record for the most broken bones at 433, over twice the amount of bones in the human body

https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/most-broken-bones-in-a-lifetime
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j89hn4/til_evel_knievel_holds_the_world_record_for_the/

TIL Before her marriage to Mao Zedong, Jiang Qing was an actress in 1930s Chinese cinema. Her co-star an actress named Li Lili frequently upstaged her. Decades later during the Cultural Revolution, Jiang ordered the arrest and torture of Li and her husband. Li survived but her husband did not.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Li_Lili
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j89f4y/til_before_her_marriage_to_mao_zedong_jiang_qing/

TIL In 1919, a group of seven women in the United Kingdom formed the Women's Engineering Society (WES), the first professional organization for women in all engineering fields

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Women%27s_Engineering_Society
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j87tpw/til_in_1919_a_group_of_seven_women_in_the_united/

TIL Canada used to have 'Johnny Cash' machines that were ATMs endorsed by Johnny Cash

https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/johnny-cash-hilarious-commercials/
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j86vts/til_canada_used_to_have_johnny_cash_machines_that/

TIL in 1966 a relatively unknown American musician joined legendary guitarist Eric Clapton onstage and performed "Killing Floor," a song Clapton himself deemed too difficult to perform live. This musician was Jimi Hendrix and this event became subsequently known as "The day Hendrix killed God."

https://www.loudersound.com/features/hendrix-regent-polytechnic
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j868ag/til_in_1966_a_relatively_unknown_american/

TIL that in 1994, 62 children in Zimbabwe claimed they saw a UFO land near their school, with aliens telepathically warning them about environmental destruction. Some still stand by their story today.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ariel_School_UFO_incident
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j79xjg/til_that_in_1994_62_children_in_zimbabwe_claimed/

TIL that claw machines are believed to have originated in the United States in the 1890s, when they were made to resemble the machines that built the Panama Canal.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claw_machine
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5cnok/til_that_claw_machines_are_believed_to_have/

TIL Alexander the Great’s troops marched an estimated 22,000 miles (35,000 km) while conquering from Greece to Egypt to India. That’s almost the circumference of Earth (24,000 miles).

https://digfir-published.macmillanusa.com/hunt5e/hunt5e_ch04_45.html
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5e9wv/til_alexander_the_greats_troops_marched_an/

TIL: Hoovervilles were shantytowns built by the homeless during the Great Depression. They were named after President Herbert Hoover, who was in office when the Depression began.

https://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hooverville
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5eh6u/til_hoovervilles_were_shantytowns_built_by_the/

TIL I learned that Marvin Gaye was killed by his father on April 1st, 1984 due to a dispute over a misplaced insurance policy letter. His death was thought to be a rumor due to it being April Fool's and was initially dismissed by friends and fans. It was one day before his 45th birthday.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_of_Marvin_Gaye
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5dz14/til_i_learned_that_marvin_gaye_was_killed_by_his/

TIL that during the American Civil War, Gen. Robert E. Lee misjudged Northern sentiment by relying on Copperhead newspapers, an anti-war faction opposing Lincoln. This led to strategic mistakes and his defeat at Gettysburg.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gettysburg_campaign#:~:text=Lee%20had%20numerous,the%20Lincoln%20Administration.
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5fjw9/til_that_during_the_american_civil_war_gen_robert/

TIL that the "Killing baby Hitler" is a thought experiment in ethics and theoretical physics which poses the question of using time travel to assassinate an infant Adolf Hitler.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Killing_baby_Hitler
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5g466/til_that_the_killing_baby_hitler_is_a_thought/

TIL of conservation-induced extinction. In efforts to save critically endangered animals, multiple other species have gone extinct. Common practice in conservation programs of birds and mammals is to remove all parasites, driving certain species of parasite unique to these animals to extinction.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conservation-induced_extinction
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5grdy/til_of_conservationinduced_extinction_in_efforts/

TIL Positive self-perceptions of aging increase longevity by 7.5 years

https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/psp-832261.pdf
#til #todayilearned
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j5i1lm/til_positive_selfperceptions_of_aging_increase/