25 Times “Today I Learned” Online Community Shared Amazing Facts That Stunned People

The “Today I Learned” (TIL) subreddit is a treasure trove of surprising, quirky, and mind-boggling facts shared by curious people worldwide. From history and science to unexpected tidbits about pop culture, there’s always something new to learn.

#1

Image source: Kurma-the-Turtle, Steve F

In England in the Middle Ages, a fugitive could claim sanctuary simply by touching the knocker on the outer door of a church to be immune from arrest.

#2

Image source: adamjames777, Ed Webster/flickr

99% of what the British Museum owns isn’t on display.

#3

The British Empire was the largest in human history, about six times larger than the Roman Empire, occupying close to a quarter of the world.

Image source: Ozzy_Kiss

#4

Image source: Kurma-the-Turtle, Honoré Daumier

A French occultist built a device to test the hypothesis that snails create a permanent telepathic link when they mate.

#5

Image source: MDB_1987, Rob Bogaerts

Shortly before artist Keith Haring died, he formed a charitable foundation that now owns all of his copyrights. The money from licensing his work goes to underprivileged children and AIDS-related charities.

#6

Image source: Pfeffer_Prinz, Magnushk

Legendary session bassist Leland Sklar put a switch on his bass that does nothing. He calls it the “producer switch” — when a producer asks for a different sound, he flips the switch (making sure the producer can see), and carries on. He says this placebo has saved him a lot of grief.

#7

Image source: Olshansk, Unknown (United Press International)

About the Bannister Effect: When a barrier previously thought to be unachievable is broken, a mental shift happens enabling many others to break past it (named after the man who broke the 4 minute mile).

#8

Image source: PositiveDepth1533, ElfQrin

One of the longest writings preserved in Pompeii is the poem of a woman yearning for another woman.

#9

Image source: DeVoto, Cassowary Colorizations/flickr

In WWI, half of the French army mutinied in 1917. Soldiers remained in trenches, but refused orders to attack after the failure of the Nivelle Offensive, which General Nivelle promised a 48 hour victory. The mutinies were heavily suppressed by the French and were not fully disclosed until 1967.

#10

Image source: Ainsley-Sorsby, unknown

In 1692 an 80 year old from Livonia was called to court as a witness to a theft. Unprompted, he revealed that he was a werewolf who fought witches in hell, including his neighbour, who broke his nose with his broomstick. The judges initialy laughed but evidence forced them to take it seriously.

#11

Image source: waitingforthesun92, Sam Howzit

Prolific Hollywood prosthetic makeup artist Tom Savini served as a combat photographer in Vietnam, and this later influenced his style of gory effects. Savini said: “I hated that when I watched a war movie and someone dies. Some people die with one eye open and one eye half-closed.”

#12

Image source: poleco1, 總統府/flickr

NVIDIA’s unofficial company motto is “Our company is thirty days from going out of business.”

#13

Image source: DaegestaniHandcuff, Cassowary Colorizations/flickr

In World War I, German and French soldiers would sometimes display “live and let live” behavior. Sometimes soldiers would refuse to target the other side and at other times they would fire weapons ceremoniously and with no intent to harm the enemy.

#14

Image source: Kurma-the-Turtle, Frans Post

A community of escaped slaves in colonial Brazil founded their own confederated kingdom that lasted for almost 90 years, with a population of around 11,000.

#15

Image source: pandaKrusher, Anna Shvets/pexels

Almost all of the early cryogenically preserved bodies were thawed and disposed of after the cryonic facilities went out of business.

#16

Image source: TheMadResistor, Imperial War Museums

During WWII, pilots frequently blacked out during turns as strong G-forces caused blood pooling in their legs. Douglas Bader, a British Ace, did not have this problem because his legs had been amputated after an accident.

#17

Image source: Ill_Definition8074, Absolute History

In Tudor England, there was a type of criminal called a “baretop trickster”. It was a woman who would flash her breasts to lure men into a house. Once the man was inside he would be robbed by the woman’s accomplices.

#18

The gourd was one of the world’s first cultivated plants grown not primarily for food, but for use as containers. It is also used as a resonator on many stringed instruments, including the sitar.

Image source: jacknunn

#19

Image source: JimPalamo, BBC

Top Gear’s international popularity was due largely to early episodes being shared illegally on the FinalGear forum when the show was only available in the UK. When the forum’s founder passed away, Jeremy Clarkson posted a tweet acknowledging how important he had been to the show’s success.

#20

Image source: Ainsley-Sorsby, Nagasaki City Library Archives

When Tsarevich Nicholas(later Nicholas II) visited Japan in 1891, an attermpt on his life was made by a man wielding a katana. His cousin, Prince George of Greece, saved his life by parrying the sword with his cane.

#21

Image source: lifeismiserydeleteme, Naval Photographic Center

Jimmy Carter promised to release all government UFO information if he became president. However, after being elected, he chose not to, citing “national security concerns.”

#22

Since the late 1950s, aerospace engineers have used the term “unobtainium” when referring to unusual or costly materials, or when theoretically considering a material perfect for their needs in all respects, except that it does not exist.

Image source: LegitSkin

#23

Image source: iso-joe, Jose Lu

Four time World’s Strongest Man winner Jón Páll Sigmarsson, who famously stated “There is no reason to be alive, if you can’t do deadlift!” died at the age of 32 while deadlifting in his gym.

#24

In 1967, the whiskey brand Canadian Club did a “Hide a Case” advertising campaign where they hid 25 cases of their whiskey in exotic locations around the world. There are still 9 cases still hidden with one being above the Artic Circle.

Image source: Mr_Plow97

#25

Image source: default-user-name-1, Pavel Danilyuk /pexels

The exercise paradox, also known as the workout paradox, refers to the finding that physical activity, while essential for maintaining overall health, does not necessarily lead to significant weight loss or increased calorie expenditure.