This is probably a bad idea for a topic, but I'm gonna give it a shot.

Let's start a knowledge circlejerk. Post things that you learned today/recently. They don't have to be Wikipedia articles, but please link to at least once source so that we can all dig deeper and do our own internet research if we find another member's post interesting. Please post a short summary (a sentence or two is fine) along with the link(s). Let's learn from each other (g*y):


Toba catastrophe theory
Summary: About 75,000 years ago, a huge volcanic eruption on Sumatra may have killed off all but a few thousands humans. The evolutionary and genetic implications here are great: a dramatic decrease in a population (called a bottleneck) would have reduced genetic variation in the human population, possibly causing the extinction of humanoids and accelerating the evolution of Homo sapiens

Georg Philipp Telemann
Summary: Georg Telemann was an 18th century German composer who is listed in the Guiness Book of World Records as the most prolific composer of all time, as he wrote over 3,000 compositions during his lifetime. He also lived ridiculously long (86 years) for his time period. His harpischord/flute compositions are really cool imo.

I can't find a source for this at the moment, but in Medicinal Chemistry class I learned about Heroin and the origin of the word Junkie. Apparently Heroin addicts used to support their addiction by collecting scrap metal and selling it, hence the term which is still commonly used now, "junkie".

I learnt that over long distance DC transmission lines have lower losses than AC transmission lines. They take up less space but they have much more expensive transformers at either end.

I was also told the statistic that 5% of the sahara covered in photovoltaics would generate enough power for the world demand given that it could be distributed to it (It can't.)

I learned about the developing embryo and fetus in biology.
I learned that 99.9% of kids in my school don't care about peace.

I learned that the guy who originally invented LSD was a Swiss chemist who was trying to find a cure for migraines.  Also he experienced the first acid trip ever in 1943 after intentionally ingesting his concoction. 

"Upon arriving the attending doctor could find no abnormal physical symptoms other than extremely dilated pupils. After spending several hours terrified that his body had been possessed by a demon, that his next door neighbor was a witch, and that his furniture was threatening him, Dr. Hofmann feared he had become completely insane."

I was learning about the ill fated Siberian Expeditionary Force the Allied powers sent to Russia in 1918, specifically, the major of the 20th Machine Gun Company that was attached to the 16th Infantry Brigade (259th, 260th Battalions) for the Canadian force. Apparently before they departed his batman went AWOL and took the major's civillian clothes with him. :P

that lyrics born and krs-one are both great. this is really the most important thing i learned all day

but apparently LB really fell off after later that day

that sucks

I learned that 99.9% of kids in my school don't care about peace.

lol what the hell does "caring about peace" even mean? 

"peace? sure, yeah, i care about that. peace is a good thing. i like good things."

EDIT: Actually, yesterday I learned that Alfred Nobel mixed nitro glycerin with sawdust so it wouldn't explode when dropped, and made what we know as dynamite. The money made off of this idea is given out each year in nobel prizes.

you JUST learned this?

scrumpy cider probably isn't named after scrumping. evidently small apples are called scrumps

you JUST learned this?

he's probably like a quarter your age and didn't know him personally