TIL about Kate Saunders, the first woman to use an ejector seat in the UK, suffering a broken leg and pelvis. She was seriously ill with 28% burns; the ejection seat was typically designed for the weight of a male; a lighter female would, likely, have more acceleration.
https://ift.tt/0Nkm6i1
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 03:07PM by johnsmithoncemore
via reddit https://ift.tt/2BdN6Lb
https://ift.tt/0Nkm6i1
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 03:07PM by johnsmithoncemore
via reddit https://ift.tt/2BdN6Lb
Wikipedia
Cambridge University Air Squadron
military unit
🤷♀2
TIL that Portugal's 1974 Eurovision winning entry, E depois do adeus, was one of two secret signals which alerted rebel soldiers to begin the Carnation Revolution
https://ift.tt/t3qIdn2
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 02:08PM by dorgoth12
via reddit https://ift.tt/tW3s7dB
https://ift.tt/t3qIdn2
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 02:08PM by dorgoth12
via reddit https://ift.tt/tW3s7dB
Wikipedia
E depois do adeus
"E depois do adeus" (English: "And After the Farewell") is a song recorded by Portuguese singer Paulo de Carvalho, with music composed by José Calvário and lyrics by José Niza. It represented Portugal in the Eurovision Song Contest 1974, held in Brighton…
🔥2
TIL about two-thirds of all scurvy is found in autistic people
https://ift.tt/1wjIt9k
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 04:42PM by blankblank
via reddit https://ift.tt/Z0zBK9o
https://ift.tt/1wjIt9k
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 04:42PM by blankblank
via reddit https://ift.tt/Z0zBK9o
Wikipedia
Scurvy
human disease
TIL about the British pornographic magazine Whitehouse. Substantially more explicit than its predecessors, it was allegedly named after the anti-pornography campaigner Mary Whitehouse, though the publisher David Sullivan always denied this.
https://ift.tt/ng2Ooqe
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 04:32PM by johnsmithoncemore
via reddit https://ift.tt/CIxFQtc
https://ift.tt/ng2Ooqe
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 04:32PM by johnsmithoncemore
via reddit https://ift.tt/CIxFQtc
Wikipedia
Whitehouse (magazine)
British pornographic magazine
TIL Margot Robbie convinced Martin Scorsese to cast her in The Wolf of Wall Street by hauling off & giving Leonardo DiCaprio an improvised "thunderclap of a slap on the face" during her first audition that stunned DiCaprio & Scorsese. Both men burst out laughing afterwards and thought it was great.
https://ift.tt/NB5EDei
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:29PM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/KAuIbLN
https://ift.tt/NB5EDei
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:29PM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/KAuIbLN
Mashable
Margot Robbie slapped Leonardo DiCaprio at the 'The Wolf of Wall Street' audition
A slap that forged a career.
TIL artist Thomas Dambo creates giant troll sculptures from recycled wood and hides them in forests around the world like a real life scavenger hunt
https://ift.tt/p79kquj
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:00PM by Technical-Paint3179
via reddit https://ift.tt/BTx4Uts
https://ift.tt/p79kquj
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:00PM by Technical-Paint3179
via reddit https://ift.tt/BTx4Uts
Cheekwood
Trolls: The Playful Voices of Nature - Cheekwood
Thomas Dambo, one of the world's leading recycle artists, believes that trash can be turned into treasure. Here is the story of how he became a sculptor of more than 125 gigantic trolls.
TIL Wish was valued at $14 billion in 2020, however, it sold for just $173 million to Singapore's Qoo10 four years later in 2024.
https://ift.tt/2zQMToF
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:06PM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/qsRiogC
https://ift.tt/2zQMToF
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:06PM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/qsRiogC
CNBC
Wish's deep discount sale to Singapore's Qoo10 ramps up competition for Temu and Shein
Wish's new owner faces steep competition from Chinese discount retailers Temu and Shein, which have been on an ad-spending blitz to attract American shoppers.
❤1
TIL on 17 May 1995, a drunk California man named Shawn Nelson stole an M60A3 tank from a National Guard armoury in San Diego. He went on a rampage in a nearby neighbourhood, crushing cars and knocking over utility poles, before crashing into a barrier. Miraculously, nobody else was injured.
https://ift.tt/BIbvNrl
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:49PM by NateNate60
via reddit https://ift.tt/dw0HfYX
https://ift.tt/BIbvNrl
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 07:49PM by NateNate60
via reddit https://ift.tt/dw0HfYX
Wikipedia
1995 San Diego tank rampage
destruction wrought by stolen tank
TIL that in 1997, Gueorgui Makharadze, the deputy ambassador from Georgia, struck and killed a 16-year old girl while driving drunk. Georgia agreed to waive his diplomatic immunity and he served 3 years in prison in North Carolina
https://ift.tt/hZmpv8N
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:14PM by cupacupacupacupacup
via reddit https://ift.tt/sXql3TW
https://ift.tt/hZmpv8N
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:14PM by cupacupacupacupacup
via reddit https://ift.tt/sXql3TW
Wikipedia
Gueorgui Makharadze
Georgian diplomat
❤2
TIL on August 19th, 1980 Saudia Flight 163 experienced an onboard fire 7 minutes after takeoff. Despite being able to land safely back at Riyadh Airport & taxiing to a stop, the plane was not evacuated, leading to the death of all 301 onboard. It's the deadliest accident involving the L-1011 Tristar
https://ift.tt/DCTUVlB
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:07PM by The-TIL-Nerd
via reddit https://ift.tt/WGrOfz6
https://ift.tt/DCTUVlB
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:07PM by The-TIL-Nerd
via reddit https://ift.tt/WGrOfz6
Wikipedia
Saudia Flight 163
aviation accident
TIL in 2014, Ben Affleck received a lifetime ban from the blackjack tables at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas after surveillance footage showed him counting cards during a high-stakes game. Security informed him he was "too good" and classified him as an advantage player.
https://ift.tt/qxo5MZT
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 09:42PM by Friendly_Hivemind
via reddit https://ift.tt/VKp9Cgd
https://ift.tt/qxo5MZT
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 09:42PM by Friendly_Hivemind
via reddit https://ift.tt/VKp9Cgd
Yahoo Entertainment
Ben Affleck Banned from Playing Blackjack at Hard Rock Casino After Getting Caught Counting Cards
Ben Affleck has been banned for life from playing blackjack at the Hard Rock Vegas for counting cards, sources confirm. Affleck, who played in the World Series of Poker alongside buddy Matt Damon, all...
TIL that the word "literally" has been used figuratively by great English writers for over 100 years.
https://ift.tt/2kaIFeU
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:46PM by Kardinal
via reddit https://ift.tt/fZKlFXq
https://ift.tt/2kaIFeU
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:46PM by Kardinal
via reddit https://ift.tt/fZKlFXq
Mental Floss
The Long History of the Figurative 'Literally'—and 8 Great Writers Who Used It
The word 'literally' has been used as an intensifier for at least three centuries—including by a number of famous authors.
TIL that American ginseng is so valuable ($300-$500 a pound) that poachers risk jail time to steal roots from the Appalachia mountains
https://ift.tt/cOAzdsI
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 10:17PM by Comfortable_List3413
via reddit https://ift.tt/JKQAq8W
https://ift.tt/cOAzdsI
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 10:17PM by Comfortable_List3413
via reddit https://ift.tt/JKQAq8W
Smithsonian Magazine
The Fight Against Ginseng Poaching in the Great Smoky Mountains
A profitable black market for the native shrub pits the National Park Service against poor residents of Appalachia
👏1
TIL a man in a unicorn pool floaty was fishing near the beach in Fort Lauderdale when he hooked a 10-foot shark that proceeded to drag him four miles offshore in his floaty. He was eventually rescued by the crew of a larger fishing vessel who were baffled at the situation when they happened upon him
https://ift.tt/vdzcsqa
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 12:14AM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/5toCh3m
https://ift.tt/vdzcsqa
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 12:14AM by tyrion2024
via reddit https://ift.tt/5toCh3m
Surfer
Florida Man In Unicorn Floaty Hooks 10-Foot Shark, Towed Four Miles Offshore
In a case of who caught who, a man is dragged out to sea in his floaty after catching a large shark.
😁2
TIL In the 1994 movie Leon: The professional, Gary Oldman screams "EVERYONE!" at one of his henchman. This amateur actor was actually a New York fireman, killed 7 years later on 9/11 where his remains were never found.
https://ift.tt/8urVxTy
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:57PM by OperationSuch5054
via reddit https://ift.tt/4y3G19g
https://ift.tt/8urVxTy
Submitted May 17, 2026 at 08:57PM by OperationSuch5054
via reddit https://ift.tt/4y3G19g
Wikipedia
Keith A. Glascoe
American actor and firefighter (1962-2001)
😢5🫡1
TIL Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, was escorted by crew members wearing brightly colored vests and told not to wander off set wearing his costume while on location for 'Return of the Jedi' Endor scenes, so that hunters in the California redwood forests would not mistake him for Bigfoot.
https://ift.tt/u5whzJB
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 02:02AM by Sandstorm400
via reddit https://ift.tt/MQrRNUY
https://ift.tt/u5whzJB
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 02:02AM by Sandstorm400
via reddit https://ift.tt/MQrRNUY
😁4
TIL Prince was the original choice to play the role of Ruby Rhod in The Fifth Element, which Chris Tucker ended up playing, but he backed out because Jean Paul Gaultier’s costumes were ‘too effeminate.’
https://ift.tt/tAl7Yp0
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 04:06AM by RedditIsAGranfaloon
via reddit https://ift.tt/RIjP057
https://ift.tt/tAl7Yp0
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 04:06AM by RedditIsAGranfaloon
via reddit https://ift.tt/RIjP057
Dazed
How Prince almost ended up in The Fifth Element
The Purple One backed out because Jean Paul Gaultier’s costumes were ‘too effeminate’
til that your brain literally washes itself while you sleep. the brain cells actually shrink in size so cerebrospinal fluid can rush in and flush out all the toxic proteins built up during the day
https://ift.tt/TE6ebIU
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 03:36AM by Square-Message1152
via reddit https://ift.tt/lGLYcmW
https://ift.tt/TE6ebIU
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 03:36AM by Square-Message1152
via reddit https://ift.tt/lGLYcmW
Wikipedia
Glymphatic system
The glymphatic system, glymphatic clearance pathway or paravascular system is an organ system for removing metabolic waste from the vertebrate central nervous system (CNS).
TIL that in 1858 the Vatican heard of a Jewish boy who was baptised by his nanny, without his Jewish parent's consent, and decided to kidnap the boy with the still running - and legally binding - Inquisition.
https://ift.tt/meNyah9
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 01:14AM by the6thReplicant
via reddit https://ift.tt/fzkFgru
https://ift.tt/meNyah9
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 01:14AM by the6thReplicant
via reddit https://ift.tt/fzkFgru
Wikipedia
Mortara case
Italian cause célèbre of the 1850s and 1860s
🤡4🥰3🤬2
TIL Tommy McHugh once pooped so hard after a knock on the toilet door that it burst 2 blood vessels that led him to a coma. He ended up getting savant syndrome and began to express everything in poetry & art for the rest of his life until his death in 2012
https://ift.tt/dmHVg8z
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 03:14AM by CrackFun
via reddit https://ift.tt/kZreDG9
https://ift.tt/dmHVg8z
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 03:14AM by CrackFun
via reddit https://ift.tt/kZreDG9
Wikipedia
Tommy McHugh
artist
TIL in 2005, Nintendo Power (At the time published by Nintendo of America) considered Superman 64 the worst game ever released on one of their platforms. Nintendo's statement in the magazine was "Why have you forsaken me?"
https://ift.tt/4rGcNLi
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 02:07AM by paraspooder
via reddit https://ift.tt/gKzAtlr
https://ift.tt/4rGcNLi
Submitted May 18, 2026 at 02:07AM by paraspooder
via reddit https://ift.tt/gKzAtlr
Wikipedia
List of video games notable for negative reception
Wikimedia list article