Today I Learned… #2

[EllenDeGenerate]

Today I learned that i drank too much alcohol last night

 

[Hollie Day]

Chewing gum burns about 11 calories an hour

 

[RaveChampion]

It's Thursday and not Friday like I anticipated. Which leads to the next assertion.
Wishes don't come true,

 

[AliceInWanderLost]

today i learnt that the prototype for the modern chainsaw was made in the 18th century, originally invented for the purpose of being a surgical instrument to assist in difficult childbirths!

 

[Lalalalaaaaaa85]

That apparently crying at work once is a sign of immaturity. Go figure.

Immaturity of the person who said that! What a dick comment. Hope you’re ok

 

[Captainmouse]

That the headrests in cars pull out, they have a pointed end designed for breaking the windows

 

[Bettyboo2475]

Today I learnt what a debris field is. Rip

 

[greenvelvet]

There is a “ring” of seismic activity around the Pacific basin which is where most earthquakes (especially strong earthquakes) and most volcanic activity occurs. These earthquakes can cause the earth to drop by several feet.

(this a bit a of a detective story about how anthropologists and scientists reconstructed the history of a massive earthquake in the US from folk history, written records miles away in Japan, and a dead forest.)

Spoiler: long post

In this “ring,” in the Pacific Northwest in America, two large tectonic plates (thousands of miles) meet - this area is called the Cascadia Subduction Zone. Written history from that part of America hadn’t recorded anything about it, as the area’s written history doesn’t go back very far.

In Japan, however, written records do go back very far - and they have records of a tsunami in early 1700 despite no earthquake having happened nearby.

Back in the Pacific North West, along the coast, there is a “ghost forest” on the shore, which is basically a bunch of dead cedar stumps. The assumption initially was that they had died over time. But in the 80s, paleogeologists found evidence in the soil that their deaths had been caused by a sudden drop in the ground level causing them to be submerged in seawater. Looking at the rings in the tree stumps, they were able to date them all to just before the Japanese tsunami. Crazy to think that “forest” had been dead 300 years but was still hanging around.

They now think what happened is there was a huge earthquake in that zone, which caused the massive tsunami that travelled all the way to Japan, and another huge tsunami that travelled east into America.

To really cement it, this lines up exactly with various stories passed down through generations in different Native American peoples in the area - of a huge earthquake and tsunami that wiped out several villages, with some recording it as reaching as far inland as 80 miles. Through shared details in the Native American spoken records (e.g., it happening when people were going to bed), and the written records in Japan, they were even able to estimate the time at which it occurred - about 9PM -and calculate the time it took to get to Japan. Some people think this massive event is the root of Native American myths in the area of a fight between a thunderbird and a whale - the description of it does line up with what the earthquake and tsunami would have been like.

I just think it’s absolutely insane how by looking at the earth, dead trees, and histories of different people thousands of miles apart, scientists and humanities researchers were able to reconstruct something that a) was mostly missing from written records and b) happened three hundred years ago. All this led seismologists to a much greater understanding about the zone & to realise there is a chance something like this could happen again in that area over the next 50-100 years.

 

[CrazyGiraffeLady]

That Lions eat Giraffes! I have no idea why I didn't know that. Makes me sad though because I think giraffes are beautiful
I suppose that's just nature though right!??? But shocked me!

Oh no I love giraffes. Didn’t think lions ate them tbh

 

[Lalalalaaaaaa85]

That the headrests in cars pull out, they have a pointed end designed for breaking the windows

Whilst I knew they pulled out I never considered the pointed ends could be used for that! That’s a really good tip though so thank you

 

[JE172]

I'm from a family of coal miners. They were told that smoking helped them to cough up the coal dust and was therefore beneficial.

It’s mad to think some of the treatments or supplements etc that we take these days will be considered this bizarre in a hundred years too!

 

[Captainmouse]

Today I learned that most of the dried herbs and spices on our supermarket shelves are contaminated with, eg toxins such as lead, even salmonella! It can come from the soil at source, or unsanitary storage or packaging conditions. I checked my own extensive collection, not even one stated the origin of the contents. Guess what? I tossed them all out. I'm fuming. I will be ordering some online from a reliable, certified supplier - of which there are few.

There is an episode of food unwrapped about herbs, the majority of which are often not what is on the label. ‘Diluted' with cheaper ingredients, more is sold than is grown

 

[Maisie842]

today I learnt that the collective noun for a group of kangaroos is called a court....!

I knew this one but never attributed it to the phrase Kangaroo Court for some reason. I think a better name for a group of Kangaroos would be bouncers, for obvious reasons plus they look like they’d be really good at that job

 

[klarakluckbag]

When compared to the view in UK, the Moon in Australia appears upside-down

 

[Miss.Chanandler.Bong]

That wrongly imprisoned people in UK still have to pay bed and board fees after being freed

Today I learned that they’re getting rid of this rule

Andy Malkinson: Living costs deduction scrapped for wrongly convicted

Andy Malkinson, who cleared his name after 17 years in jail, tells the BBC more still needs to be done.

www.bbc.com

 

[Captainmouse]

Sitars are made from pumpkin's

 

[littlepup]

Whilst I knew they pulled out I never considered the pointed ends could be used for that! That’s a really good tip though so thank you

It is but I’ve never really thought you’d have the presence of mind and/or capability to turn and release the headrest. They’re a bugger to get out!
You can buy seat belt cutter with window breakers for about £7 on Amazon. If I regularly drive near waterways I’d certainly buy one.

 

[AliceInWanderLost]

today I learnt that the collective noun for a group of kangaroos is called a court....!

 

[neverbeeninfluenced]

That app is short for application.

 

[hehehe]

King Arthur is a fictional character.

Didn't exist.

Never had a magical sword.

Didn't fight any dragons.