TIL in 1947 the reclusive Collyer brothers died in their New York Fifth Avenue apartment, which had 140 tons of books, furniture, and even a Model T chassis. The apartment had booby traps, which claimed the life of one of the brothers when it collapsed on him.
https://ift.tt/jRLoqNP
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 10:33PM by strangelove4564
via reddit https://ift.tt/tumfdMb
https://ift.tt/jRLoqNP
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 10:33PM by strangelove4564
via reddit https://ift.tt/tumfdMb
TIL that a functional space battleship was proposed alongside the Project Orion nuclear pulse drive; which was cancelled not because it wasn't possible, but because it was so heavily armed it terrified President Kennedy who wanted it cancelled out of fears of a Cold War escalation
https://ift.tt/Qr5WAty
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 11:43PM by ZipZopZoppityHop
via reddit https://ift.tt/cqHjBeI
https://ift.tt/Qr5WAty
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 11:43PM by ZipZopZoppityHop
via reddit https://ift.tt/cqHjBeI
TIL legendary talk show host Merv Griffin's tombstone reads: "I will not be right back after this message."
https://ift.tt/RieBU2d
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 12:02AM by ralphbernardo
via reddit https://ift.tt/0B4vk7Q
https://ift.tt/RieBU2d
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 12:02AM by ralphbernardo
via reddit https://ift.tt/0B4vk7Q
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TIL Duke University has more graduate students than undergraduate students.
https://ift.tt/xD7ZjcL
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 10:51PM by a_gallon_of_pcp
via reddit https://ift.tt/NoVyK2W
https://ift.tt/xD7ZjcL
Submitted January 21, 2026 at 10:51PM by a_gallon_of_pcp
via reddit https://ift.tt/NoVyK2W
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://ift.tt/sn3TSR4
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:57AM by Extreme-Attention641
via reddit https://ift.tt/nDVmW9O
https://ift.tt/sn3TSR4
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:57AM by Extreme-Attention641
via reddit https://ift.tt/nDVmW9O
Literary Hub
The time Terry Pratchett’s German publisher inserted a soup ad into his novel.
Did you know that German genre publishers used to insert paid product placement into domestic translations of popular international writers? Yes, it’s true. And here’s exhibit A (via this Neil Gaim…
TIL two doctors performed an in‑flight emergency surgery on a woman with a collapsed lung using a coat hanger and silverware, saving her life.
https://ift.tt/pHyxvEZ
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:53AM by IntrinsicIrony
via reddit https://ift.tt/kv4sIuX
https://ift.tt/pHyxvEZ
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:53AM by IntrinsicIrony
via reddit https://ift.tt/kv4sIuX
TIL that there are under 150 tenure-track jobs for English literature professors in the US and Canada each year: fewer than 3 per state.
https://ift.tt/PH9zBoL
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:41AM by Bob_the_blacksmith
via reddit https://ift.tt/sIT60b4
https://ift.tt/PH9zBoL
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:41AM by Bob_the_blacksmith
via reddit https://ift.tt/sIT60b4
TIL Elian Gonzalez is married and has a daughter. He earned an engineering degree and is a member of the National Assembly of People's Power representing the city of Cardenas.
https://ift.tt/UkIbXOe
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:43AM by loki2002
via reddit https://ift.tt/AwBTZyc
https://ift.tt/UkIbXOe
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:43AM by loki2002
via reddit https://ift.tt/AwBTZyc
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://ift.tt/qkLJIB9
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 06:56AM by Away_Flounder3813
via reddit https://ift.tt/0DwZm67
https://ift.tt/qkLJIB9
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 06:56AM by Away_Flounder3813
via reddit https://ift.tt/0DwZm67
TIL 300 million years ago, the Earth’s atmosphere contained 35% oxygen compared to 21% today. One result was giant insects with wingspans up to 71 cm (over 2.25 feet).
https://ift.tt/9dOCUec
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 05:24AM by gullydon
via reddit https://ift.tt/INDl7rx
https://ift.tt/9dOCUec
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 05:24AM by gullydon
via reddit https://ift.tt/INDl7rx
TIL the name “Scotland Yard” actually refers to a street in Westminster, London. During the 16th century, there were open courtyards in the Palace of Whitehall surrounded by buildings used by representatives of the Kingdom of Scotland.
https://ift.tt/iWopD7u
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 09:04AM by redmambo_no6
via reddit https://ift.tt/zeg30j4
https://ift.tt/iWopD7u
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 09:04AM by redmambo_no6
via reddit https://ift.tt/zeg30j4
TIL that none of the naked infected in 28 Years Later were actually nude, due to the presence of the underage Alfie Williams. Instead all the infected are wearing prosthetics.
https://ift.tt/cKvdUxM
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:47PM by Sebastianlim
via reddit https://ift.tt/JqhBx1E
https://ift.tt/cKvdUxM
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:47PM by Sebastianlim
via reddit https://ift.tt/JqhBx1E
People.com
'28 Years Later' Director Recalls 'Nightmare' of Shooting Naked Zombie Scenes amid Intimacy Coordinator's Notes (Exclusive)
Danny Boyle, the director of '28 Years Later,' tells PEOPLE about the guidelines he received from the film's intimacy coordinator that made shooting the post-apocalyptic thriller a 'nightmare.'
TIL Teletubbyland really existed, but it was destroyed by the landowner to stop trespass from obsessive Telletubby fans dressed in costume. The landowner was that angry they dug up the Tubbytronic Superdome and turned it into a pond. The thing is, the access road is still called Tellytubbies Road
https://ift.tt/VLMxuOU
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:13PM by scratchtheitch7
via reddit https://ift.tt/iK5NAF4
https://ift.tt/VLMxuOU
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 01:13PM by scratchtheitch7
via reddit https://ift.tt/iK5NAF4
Virgin Radio UK
You won't believe what happened to the iconic Teletubbies land after the show finished
It's hard to get our heads around the fact that the Teletubbies were TV favourites two decades ago. Yes, the much-loved BBC show was everywhere from 1997 to 2001.
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TIL the phrase “Sit, Ubu, sit. Good dog!” heard at the end of many 1980s TV shows referred to a real black Labrador named Ubu, owned by TV producer Gary David Goldberg—and the bark was Ubu’s actual bark.
https://ift.tt/b0ylehz
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 02:47PM by TNSasquatch77
via reddit https://ift.tt/GrR6m0L
https://ift.tt/b0ylehz
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 02:47PM by TNSasquatch77
via reddit https://ift.tt/GrR6m0L
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TIL The geography cone, also known as the cigarette snail, is the deadliest cone snail on the planet. There is no antivenom, and the joke is that if you get stung, you've got about enough time to smoke a cigarette before you die
https://ift.tt/lORmBr5
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 05:12PM by scratchtheitch7
via reddit https://ift.tt/glSBmrk
https://ift.tt/lORmBr5
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 05:12PM by scratchtheitch7
via reddit https://ift.tt/glSBmrk
TIL Violent crime rates and ice cream sales are strongly statistically correlated; as one increases so does the other. However, they are (obviously) not directly linked but it is the role of a third cause on both: seasonality and warmer weather in the summer.
https://ift.tt/vGfKksd
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:21PM by amusedfridaygoat
via reddit https://ift.tt/jt41DXP
https://ift.tt/vGfKksd
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:21PM by amusedfridaygoat
via reddit https://ift.tt/jt41DXP
Tylervigen
Ice cream consumption correlates with Violent crime rates (r=0.715)
As ice cream consumption decreased, brain freeze incidents also decreased, resulting in fewer people experiencing sudden bursts of intense pain in their heads that could trigger violent outbursts.
TIL: That VELCRO was inspired by a dog's encounter with burrs, on a country walk with a Swiss engineer, figured out the hook and loop idea from a natural analog
https://ift.tt/enosaYH
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:56PM by grungegoth
via reddit https://ift.tt/S2u8Tcy
https://ift.tt/enosaYH
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 04:56PM by grungegoth
via reddit https://ift.tt/S2u8Tcy
www.invent.org
How Did a Walk in the Woods Lead to the Invention of VELCRO® Fasteners?
Uncover how nature inspired Inductee George de Mestral to develop something that many of us use every day: VELCRO®!
TIL Iceland is one of the few countries in the world, and the only NATO member to not have a standing army
https://ift.tt/Yt2IROB
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 07:25PM by zharguy
via reddit https://ift.tt/ZRFdEKg
https://ift.tt/Yt2IROB
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 07:25PM by zharguy
via reddit https://ift.tt/ZRFdEKg
TIL that NASA's Perseverance rover discovered a striped "zebra rock" on Mars unlike any seen before, nicknamed Freya Castle, with alternating black-and-white bands that might hint at volcanic or metamorphic processes.
https://ift.tt/oVOjpLU
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 03:02PM by yena
via reddit https://ift.tt/Wt6yroP
https://ift.tt/oVOjpLU
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 03:02PM by yena
via reddit https://ift.tt/Wt6yroP
EarthSky
A striped ‘zebra rock’ on Mars and a new Mars face
More exciting news! EarthSky has received a $50,000 gift, with a request that it be used to collect matching funds. It’s time to make good on our obligation to match. Click here to donate to EarthSky!
TIL in the 1950s full length commercials were banned from US television, but were brought back in 1984 when the FCC rescinded the ban. By 1994 an estimated 91% of all TV stations were airing infomercials.
https://ift.tt/UDpzwyG
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 07:51PM by strangelove4564
via reddit https://ift.tt/cXO1jD5
https://ift.tt/UDpzwyG
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 07:51PM by strangelove4564
via reddit https://ift.tt/cXO1jD5
TIL that in 2002 candidates for mayor of Warsaw had to compete in "SimCity 3000" to see who will develop the virtual capital of Poland the most. They had 60 000 simoleons to begin with and could consult with students who would aid them in the virtual world.
https://ift.tt/N7ibIWp
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 06:44PM by Apula20xp
via reddit https://ift.tt/8cbrmPp
https://ift.tt/N7ibIWp
Submitted January 22, 2026 at 06:44PM by Apula20xp
via reddit https://ift.tt/8cbrmPp
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