16 True tidbits of information that taught us something new
You’d be surprised at how many things you can learn if you just spend a few hours surfing the web. There’s a whole subreddit you can visit that’s dedicated to little-known facts that are actually quite fascinating. We’ve compiled some of the most interesting facts for your learning pleasure.
Keep reading to find out why beer bottles are brown, how Ben & Jerry’s got started, and why Girl Guides are sometimes better than Boy Scouts.
Dogs Have Arms
“TIL that anatomically dogs have two arms and two legs—not four legs.
“The front legs (arms) have wrist joints and are connected to the skeleton by muscle and the back legs have hip joints and kneecaps.” —DesertedAntarctic
A Wayne’s World Connection
“TIL although Wayne’s World (1992) was released after Freddie Mercury died, he got to see the car headbanging scene featuring Bohemian Rhapsody shortly before he passed away on November 24, 1991.
“He loved it and foresaw how the use of the song would ignite a comeback for Queen in the United States.” —Str33twise84
Mozart’s Bird
“TIL Mozart had a pet starling (bird) which could sing part of his piano concerto in G Major.
“He had bought it from a shop after hearing it sing a phrase from a work he wrote six weeks previously, which had not yet been performed in public.” —LunacyNow
Fire’s Not A Great Distraction
“TIL that in 2006, a woman farted on a plane and tried to cover up the smell by lighting matches, causing an emergency landing and an FBI investigation.
“Although she was not charged in the incident, she was also not allowed back on the plane.” —Reddit
A Ferret Friend
“TIL that Fermilab used to clean its particle accelerators with a ferret named Felicia.
“She would run through the tubes with cleaning supplies attached and be rewarded with hamburger meat.” —HeyoGuys
Boy Scouts Vs. Girl Guides
“TIL that during WW1, the MI5 used Girl Guides to deliver secret messages.
“They used Girl Guides instead of Boy Scouts because they found out that Boy Scouts weren’t efficient enough, boisterous, and talkative.” —sylviette_pancakes
Healthy Hot Dogs?
“TIL when Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs first opened in 1916, the owner hired people to dress as doctors and eat hot dogs outside his shop.
“This was to convince people his hot dogs were healthy.” —02K30C1
A Cat He Couldn’t Refuse
“TIL The Godfather‘s famous cat-in-lap scene was entirely unscripted.
“A stray cat randomly wandered onto the set, so Coppola grabbed it and put it in Marlin Brando’s lap without a word.” —foogama
Let It Burn
“TIL Louis Vuitton burn any excess stock at the end of each year to main exclusivity, theft, and avoid discount prices.” —jewfishcartel
That seems like a very Louis Vuitton thing to do.
For The Love Of Service Dogs
“TIL US Airways kicked a blind man and his dog off a plane in 2013 after the dog repositioned itself during a two-hour delay.
“They canceled the flight after passengers disembarked in protest saying the flight attendant responsible be kicked off instead of the man and his service dog.” —therealpetejm
The True Function Of Caffeine
“TIL caffeine is the coffee plant’s natural defense mechanism. It leaches into the surrounding soil as leaves from the plant drop and are decomposed into the soil.
“Since caffeine is toxic to other plants, it prevents other plants from growing around the coffee plant and competing for sunlight.” —Reddit
How Ben & Jerry’s Was Born
“TIL in 1977, Ben Cohen was a struggling potter and Jerry Greenfield was getting rejected by medical schools.
“The pair decided to open a bagel shop, but the cost of bagel machines was too high. As a result, they enrolled in a $5 ice cream-making course instead. A year later, they created Ben & Jerry’s.” —suzukigun4life
Why Beer Bottles Are Brown
“TIL that beer bottles are brown as it blocks out the sun’s rays and helps preserve the taste.
“A shortage of brown glass after the Second World War meant higher quality beer makers chose green to distinguish themselves from the companies using clear glass.” —johnlen1n
Kung Fu Fraud
“TIL In 2008, a man altered an old story he had written to resemble Kung Fu Panda, then sued DreamWorks for $12 million.
“After the court found out he was lying, he was sentenced to two years in prison.”—snowsnothing
How Monkeys Like Their Sweet Potato
“TIL that monkeys in Japan learned to wash sweet potatoes in freshwater to clean them. They later switched to washing sweet potatoes in saltwater.
“It is theorized that this is because they like the salty taste more than plain potatoes.” —I_am_1E27
The Mesopotamians
“TIL that Mesopotamians figured out that the Earth orbited the sun about 1,700 years before Copernicus and Newton.
“They also figured out that the moon causes the tides and that the Earth rotates around its axis.” —I_am_1E27
