TIL that only specific types of sand are useful in important building materials like concrete. This has creates a shortage of sand in some areas leading to black markets for illegally mined sand run by sand mafias and sand pirates.
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 02:55AM by CommanderCanuck22
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XvCH6y
https://ift.tt/2nDPUas
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 02:55AM by CommanderCanuck22
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XvCH6y
reddit
TIL that only specific types of sand are useful in important...
Posted in r/todayilearned by u/CommanderCanuck22 • 1,665 points and 91 comments
TIL George Washington is the highest-ranking U.S. military officer in history. No matter how many stars other generals are awarded, Washington is understood to have one more. He is currently a 6-star general.
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:16AM by qmzwnxo
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Xy2ET1
https://ift.tt/369hcdJ
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:16AM by qmzwnxo
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Xy2ET1
NY Times
Ranking George Washington, the General
On this Veterans Day, we look back at how the nation’s first president became the highest-ranking military officer in American history.
TIL several European countries classify loot boxes in video games as gambling, forcing game companies such as Blizzard, EA and Valve to release "loot box-free" versions of their games in those territories.
https://ift.tt/3e8BFmS
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 04:03PM by truehalf
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xly04w
https://ift.tt/3e8BFmS
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 04:03PM by truehalf
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xly04w
Wikipedia
Loot box
redeemable virtual item for video game prizes
TIL that Charles Darwin once found two ground beetles and grabbed one in each hand before seeing a "sacred" crucifix beetle (Panagaeus cruxmajor). Afraid to lose it, he put one of the beetles he had between his teeth to grab the crucifix but the beetle spit acid down his throat and he lost them all.
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:41AM by f_GOD
via reddit https://ift.tt/2JX9auB
https://ift.tt/3b3k3qz
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:41AM by f_GOD
via reddit https://ift.tt/2JX9auB
Mentalfloss
Darwin's Beetle, Lost and Found
Charles Darwin had kind of a thing for beetles, and would go to great lengths to collect and study them. In 1846, he wrote to a friend about one of the entomological adventures he had looking for ground beetles:
TIL that when George Ruth Jr. was 19, the law stated he had to have a legal guardian to sign his baseball contract. Baltimore Orioles owner Jack Dunn became Ruth's guardian, leading teammates to jokingly call Ruth "Dunn's new babe." The joke stuck, and Ruth quickly earned the nickname "Babe" Ruth
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 04:33PM by Slats7
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XtIklN
https://ift.tt/2Xv9AjK
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 04:33PM by Slats7
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XtIklN
Biography
Babe Ruth
Baseball icon Babe Ruth set numerous records as a pitcher and slugging outfielder. He was among the first five players inducted into the sport's Hall of Fame.
TIL about Wu Lien-Teh, “The Plague Fighter,” a doctor who developed thicker, more substantial masks to be used against the pneumonic plague in Manchuria during 1910-1911. Dr. Wu identified the bacteria as airborne, and successfully contained the plague; the epidemic ended after 7 months.
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 01:41PM by Administratium
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ehU7tc
https://ift.tt/2fjx0iQ
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 01:41PM by Administratium
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ehU7tc
Wikipedia
Wu Lien-teh
Chinese physician
TIL men in Turkey can avoid military service on the grounds of homosexuality. To avoid any 'false' applications, men must provide multiple pictures of themselves having gay sex in the bottom position with a clearly visible face.
https://ift.tt/3elocsf
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 06:53PM by truehalf
via reddit https://ift.tt/2VsYcT8
https://ift.tt/3elocsf
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 06:53PM by truehalf
via reddit https://ift.tt/2VsYcT8
BBC News
Proving you're gay to the Turkish army
Openly gay men are exempt from military service in Turkey, but they have to go to extraordinary lengths to prove their sexuality.
TIL that the musical Cats is so popular in Japan, that it has been running since 1983. It caused a “musical boom” and brought other Broadway musicals to Japan. There is a purpose-built CATS theatre in Tokyo. The production has played over 10,000 performances to over 10 million audience members.
https://ift.tt/34vMMBW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 05:39PM by Numerous-Lemon
via reddit https://ift.tt/3a1FFSX
https://ift.tt/34vMMBW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 05:39PM by Numerous-Lemon
via reddit https://ift.tt/3a1FFSX
Wikipedia
Cats (musical)
1981 musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber
TIL Prince Philip (husband of Queen Elizabeth) is revered as a deity in a Vanuatuan "cargocult". When his disciples sent him a traditional pig-killing club, he sent them back a photo of him posing with it.
https://ift.tt/1wVw2gW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 02:03PM by Bertje3000
via reddit https://ift.tt/2VjOT7K
https://ift.tt/1wVw2gW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 02:03PM by Bertje3000
via reddit https://ift.tt/2VjOT7K
Wikipedia
Prince Philip Movement
religious sect followed by the Kastom people
TIL That Those Cremation Diamond Businesses Are Scams. There Isn’t Enough Carbon in One Body to Create Even the Tiniest Diamond.
https://ift.tt/3eiOdIk
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 07:33PM by uhohlisa
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xq01YJ
https://ift.tt/3eiOdIk
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 07:33PM by uhohlisa
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xq01YJ
TIL: The U.S. Supreme Court building has a basketball court above the Supreme Court floor itself. It's called the "Highest Court in the Land".
https://ift.tt/2v4WYjH
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:11PM by Subsinuous
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Vp2Q4i
https://ift.tt/2v4WYjH
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:11PM by Subsinuous
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Vp2Q4i
Sports Illustrated
Inside the basketball court atop the Supreme Court
A converted storage room on the top floor of the Supreme Court building has become a place for justices and their clerks to get a run in—and a source of a great many tales.
TIL: The Vikings Beat Columbus To America By Nearly 500 Years (And Were Repeatedly Repelled By Native Peoples)
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Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:31PM by nlitherl
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XwvyCT
https://ift.tt/2yVP6qh
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 08:31PM by nlitherl
via reddit https://ift.tt/2XwvyCT
Wander
The Vikings, Not Columbus, Were the First Europeans in the Americas
By About 500 Years or So
TIL Brussels Sprouts, Cabbage, Kale, Broccoli, Cauliflour, and Kohlrabi are all selectively bred varieties of the same plant. They were each developed from the wild mustard plant.
https://ift.tt/2Px5fYY
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:26PM by _MikePossibly_
via reddit https://ift.tt/2wxqzH5
https://ift.tt/2Px5fYY
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:26PM by _MikePossibly_
via reddit https://ift.tt/2wxqzH5
Business Insider
These 6 common vegetables are actually all the same plant
Meet Brassica Oleracea. You've been eating it for years.
TIL that blink-182 was forced by the American Red Cross to remove a red cross from the artwork for their album "Enema of the State" as it was a violation of the international Geneva Conventions.
https://ift.tt/1IXOs6v
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 10:02PM by a2012canuck
via reddit https://ift.tt/34wHLcq
https://ift.tt/1IXOs6v
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 10:02PM by a2012canuck
via reddit https://ift.tt/34wHLcq
Wikipedia
Enema of the State
Enema of the State is the third studio album by American rock band Blink-182, released on June 1, 1999, by MCA Records. After a long series of performances at various clubs and festivals and several indie recordings throughout the 1990s, Blink-182 first achieved…
TIL that in the early 2000’s people complained that their Mac laptops mysteriously started giving off the smell of really bad body odor. Turns out the culprit was an adhesive used on the keyboards that started to break down after a few years, outgassing a foul smell in the process.
https://ift.tt/2yVumyW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:50PM by veedublin
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ciMcKJ
https://ift.tt/2yVumyW
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 11:50PM by veedublin
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ciMcKJ
Mindbounce
In The Early 2000s, Apple Had Issues With An iBook Laptop That Smelled Like?
Answer: Body Odor
TIL in North Korea, this year isn’t 2020; it is the year 108
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Submitted April 13, 2020 at 12:19AM by rslucas03
via reddit https://ift.tt/2yeBBkX
https://ift.tt/2xvhiPQ
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 12:19AM by rslucas03
via reddit https://ift.tt/2yeBBkX
Malone Post
10 Insane Facts On North Korea
North Korea is infamous for several things, including its system of governance and an impressive amount of missiles. The world views North Korea as uncompromising and backward, an image fueled by the whimsical actions of its leader. The Supreme leader, Kim…
TIL that graves became 6 feet deep as a result of the plague in 1665.
https://ift.tt/3eigXRy
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 12:55AM by Chicaben
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xmH4pO
https://ift.tt/3eigXRy
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 12:55AM by Chicaben
via reddit https://ift.tt/2xmH4pO
Mentalfloss
How Did 6 Feet Become the Standard Grave Depth?
It started with the plague, but it's no longer accurate.
TIL that Michael Dorn has more on-screen appearances playing the same character (Worf) than any other actor in the Star Trek franchise: 282 episodes and four movies
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Submitted April 13, 2020 at 01:25AM by j0m1n1n
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Vnfm4f
https://ift.tt/2RysoLk
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 01:25AM by j0m1n1n
via reddit https://ift.tt/2Vnfm4f
ScreenRant
Star Trek: 15 Things You Never Knew About Worf
Worf, son of Mogh is one of the most influential Star Trek characters of all time.
TIL John Ratzenberger is the only actor to voice a character in every Pixar film
https://ift.tt/2xoaLXH
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 02:00AM by mooburpcow
via reddit https://ift.tt/3a5HPAU
https://ift.tt/2xoaLXH
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 02:00AM by mooburpcow
via reddit https://ift.tt/3a5HPAU
reddit
TIL John Ratzenberger is the only actor to voice a character in...
Posted in r/todayilearned by u/mooburpcow • 14,993 points and 409 comments
TIL A study from Harvard University found that having no friends can be as deadly as smoking.
https://ift.tt/3b69cw7
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 09:39PM by KingOfGooodTimes
via reddit https://ift.tt/2V1OibM
https://ift.tt/3b69cw7
Submitted April 12, 2020 at 09:39PM by KingOfGooodTimes
via reddit https://ift.tt/2V1OibM
The Telegraph
Having no friends could be as deadly as smoking, Harvard University finds
Having no friends could be as deadly as smoking, researchers at Harvard University have suggested, after discovering a link between loneliness and the levels of a blood-clotting protein which can cause heart attacks and stroke.
TIL that a man decided to deposit a check that he received from a junk mail ad just to see what would happen. to his surprise, they allowed him to deposit the $95,000 check. the bank tried to take the money back, but since he didn’t break any laws, there was nothing they could do.
https://ift.tt/34x1dWo
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 06:05AM by skintight_tommy
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ceC5q9
https://ift.tt/34x1dWo
Submitted April 13, 2020 at 06:05AM by skintight_tommy
via reddit https://ift.tt/3ceC5q9
NY Times
Bank Credits $95,093 Junk-Mail Check to Customer's Account
See the article in its original context from August 20, 1995, Section 1, Page 34Buy ReprintsView on timesmachineTimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers.About the ArchiveThis is a digitized version of an article from…