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
"Just as planned."
Up until a couple of hours ago Vietnam had no gold medals in any Olympic event at all.
Theirs was awarded just now for shooting.
(I knew they weren't a major contender, but I had no idea they had no golds.)
"Did you expect somebody else?"
Mweheheh
Ken Ham (yes, that Ken Ham) uses Twitter.
edited 6th Aug '16 2:12:36 PM by Spinosegnosaurus77
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
![[up]](https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/smiles/arrow_up.png "[up]"){kind=icon}
Some countries have a surprisingly poor record at the Olympics. India is the most notable among them: their population is the second largest of the world, yet they've only got 9 golds (most from field hockey, and only one after 1980.) Their total medal tally (before this year's Olympics) is at 26.
There are some countries that have the opposite kind of record. Jamaica is a recent success story. Their population is under 3 million, yet they've won 68 medals in all the Olympics where they've participated.
Finland also used to be a powerhouse at the Olympics. For decades our success has been fairly mediocre, but because of our success in the first half (and a bit) of the 1900s we've got 302 Summer Olympic medals (and 161 in Winter Olympics), with a population around 5.5 million.
Adjusted for population we're probably the most successful country ever in the Olympics - we're comparable to Scotland or the US State of Wisconsin, so imagine if they had 450+ medals. (India would need about 120 000 medals to rival us, while the US - with an actual total of 2681 medals - would need about 30 000.)
Don't worry, though - wherever you live, you'll probably catch up to Finland quite soon. We'll only win a medal or two in future Olympics, as we're no longer dominant in any sport.
Quod gratis asseritur, gratis negatur.
Fits in Heavy's pocket!
Cuban cigars are illegal in America
The last thing you hear before an unstoppable juggernaut bisects you with a minigun.
There's a sailing event in the Olympics called Laser.
Mweheheh
In some versions, Cetus (the sea monster killed by Perseus in Classical Mythology) was amphibious.
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
FABRICATI DIEM, PVNC!
There's also one called "Finn". When I saw that I got curious; apparently it's actually invented in Sweden, but it debuted in the Helsinki Olympics in 1952 and was named accordingly.
I had no idea how much of an emotional attachment I can form to inanimate objects. I recently found my favorite mug and spoon that had been lost, and it just feels good to have them back and start drinking herbal tea again.
The Baltimore World Trade Center is the world's tallest regular pentagonal building.
Two-bit blockhead
I knew that Tatsuo Yoshida was the creator of Speed Racer, but not that he was a founder of Tatsunoko Production, as well as creator of Gatchaman and Yatterman.
Weird in a Can (updated M-F)
Mweheheh
Kick-Ass, Men in Black & Kingsman: The Secret Service are all based on Marvel-owned comics (that is, those published under Marvel imprints such as Icon Comics & Malibu Comics).
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
Our Favorite Cowgirl, er, Mare
Even though they're both Lightning Bruisers, rhinoceri can run faster than elephants.
I like to keep my audience riveted.
Basically canon
Makes sense, they're smaller.
pearlina brainrot affects millions of people worldwide. if you or a loved one are suffering from pearlina brainrot, call 1-800-GAY-NERDS
Mweheheh
Even hippos are faster than elephants (they're also smaller but slower than the white rhinoceros).
edited 10th Aug '16 7:56:45 AM by Spinosegnosaurus77
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
"Just as planned."
A number of Abbasid caliphs after about the the third Abbasid to hold the title of Caliph all had some Armenian blood in them owing to how popular Armenians were in harems, especially due to the fact that tended to be literate.
"Did you expect somebody else?"
South Africa has three capitals- one for each branch of government
Mweheheh
"Cyborg" is short for "cybernetic organism".
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
My school dress code says "no pajamas". I've been wearing pajamas sparingly/often enough to be recognized on a school level but no one had said anything to me in the past two years.
Ice Age was originally going to be hand-drawn and directed/supervised by Don Bluth. Development was halted after the devastating performance of Bluth's Titan A.E., and after a few years it was given to Blue Sky Studios as their first CGI feature film.
Fits in Heavy's pocket!
Table tennis is an Olympic sport
The last thing you hear before an unstoppable juggernaut bisects you with a minigun.
Mweheheh
Kenny Baker died.
Peace is the only battle worth waging.
Apparently, silver medalists in Rio Olympics are only about 1.2% away from getting gold.
3 Olympic athletes were held at gunpoint by local criminals disguised as police.
DC C—ahem commissioned a piece based on BLM.
Apparently he was difficult to work with too.
Like, he rewrote the script for The Incredible Hulk and added one scene to randomly have a character from The Wire for absolutely no reason.
Have you any dreams you'd like to sell?