What interesting things have you only recently learned about?
To be clear, this is about things which have been true for some time and you only recently learned about, not things that only happened recently. In particular, recent deaths of celebrities and other high-profile individuals should go in the General RIP Thread
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So, what interesting things have you guys...and gals...only recently learned about?
Edited by Twiddler on Apr 8th 2023 at 1:07:55 AM
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
Just for the record, the Scandinavian countries are Sweden, Denmark and Norway. Iceland and Finland are not strictly Scandinavian, but we're included in the term "Nordic countries," and people sometimes use Scandinavia to refer to all the Nordic countries. Thus I think I need to mention that Finland has not had a king at any point in our independence. (We used to be part of Sweden and then Russia, so we were subject to their monarchies, but we didn't start our own monarchy when we won our independence.)
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Indeed, thank you for that addendum, Best. I keep forgetting that there are those that use Scandinavia to encompass all the Nordic countries.
And to stay on-topic, I just learned that Iceland became an independent constitutional monarchy in 1918 (though in a personal union with Denmark) and stayed as such to the year 1944, when it became a republic when Denmark became occupied by Nazi Germany.
Join us in our quest to play all RPG video games! Moving on to disc 2 of Grandia!
ETERNAL
OH. I forgot that I learned that the House of Savoy became the rulers of the unified Italy.
I swear that's what I read in Europe's Tragedy.
"You'd never do something as irrational as dying."
Constitutional monarchies are weird, but so elegant.
Monarchies are the best heads of state.
Also, I was rather annoyed by the error in GI Joe. "Your respective heads of states have recalled you back."
Right... so, that one British guy got recalled back home by a woman who's power basically extends to the muscles that wave her hand?
"Monarchies are the best heads of state."
Why am I not surprised that you were the one to say that, Hopey? 
ETERNAL
Wait.
Hopey's Pro-monarchy?
-high five-
"You'd never do something as irrational as dying."
@ Olly. -hi5-
I suppose I am. I quite like the Queen. Rakes in a fucktonne of cash for HMR&C, and she's a figure ABOVE THE NATION.
@ Day. Hmm. :P
I like this kind of governement, but mostly because it looks cool.
Also, aww Hopey! That tonguey face makes me feel bad.
@ Day. Brazil? It's not a bad kind. I guess. :P
Don't feel bad! Don't feel bad!
Damn I said "this"? I meant that, as in parlamentary monarchies.
I wish we had one of those here. Maybe if we hadn't completely rid ourselves from our emperor.
Bloody Fossil
The best thing is that you get to have a "Royal" everything. And the Brits at least get an additional day off from the whole deal every now and then, not sure about other countries.
edited 23rd Jul '12 11:42:53 AM by Catfish42
A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line
@ Day. Daddy, Brazil is a Presidential Republic. There's no way you could have a monarch. 
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Indeed. Eight days a year!
edited 23rd Jul '12 11:43:07 AM by Inhopelessguy
I'm well aware of that, BUT in a hypothetical weird alternate reality in which we kept our emperor, we could have become one. Besides, he looked kinda badass
◊.
Yeah. Could be cool.
Space Wizard
◊
edited 23rd Jul '12 1:42:02 PM by Lock
Programming and surgery have a lot of things in common: Don't start removing colons until you know what you're doing.
Bloody Fossil
They moved HMS Ocean up the Thames all the way to Greenwich for Olympics security.
A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line
They moved a lot of things for the Olympics.
Bloody Fossil
Still, they've crammed the navy's biggest warship right into the capital.
But I guess that's the kind of thing you have to do when you want helicopters with snipers patrolling over the city at all times.
A different shape every step I take A different mind every step of the line
'80s TV Action Hero
They've stuffed a strategic asset into a tactical situation. I bet that was a politician's idea.
'All he needs is for somebody to throw handgrenades at him for the rest of his life...'
ETERNAL
My dog's a racist.
Further explanation: My Old English Sheepdog Rufus, seems to bark and growl particularly at dark coloured dogs.
"You'd never do something as irrational as dying."
The Brazilian imperial family is still around and quite active.
Wowee.
Minstrels are good chocolate.
I was unaware that my local Military museum has one of Hitler's main desks.
"You'd never do something as irrational as dying."