Today I learned +

[Reynard]

This thread is about stuff we learned today. This thread is not a stealth "pineapple" thread -- it is legitimately for fun/cool/interesting/weird facts you learned suddenly and want to share.

For example, this morning on my way to work I was listing to The Great Courses "Ancient Writing and the History of the Alphabet" and I learned that Egyptian hieroglyphs (not hieroglyphics, btw) were an invention, rather than developing over time. There are no proto-heiroglyphs and it appears as though Egyptians in contact with ancient Mesopotamia saw writing and were like, "Let's make us some of that!" That's pretty cool, and I did not know it until today.

Please don't use this thread to talk about politics, AI, D&D editions, pineapple on pizza or other dead horses we like to beat. Share fun knowledge instead!

 

[MarkB]

Not particularly cool or interesting, and it was a few months ago, but it only recently occurred to me that if I do up the fastenings on my duvet cover, it won't eat the rest of the bedding when I put it through the washing machine. That's after 30+ years of doing my own laundry.

 

[Mannahnin]

That the concept of a ship firing its cannons in salute when entering port originated in showing that your cannons were now unloaded, and thus you had no ill-intent and were not attacking.

 

[Reynard]

That the concept of a ship firing its cannons in salute when entering port originated in showing that your cannons were now unloaded, and thus you had no ill-intent and were not attacking.

From whence did you learn that? I'm interested to know more.

 

[Mannahnin]

From whence did you learn that? I'm interested to know more.

From sailors and history folk in a Patrick O'Brien Appreciation Society group on FB.

 

[payn]

From whence did you learn that? I'm interested to know more.

 

[Zaukrie]

Every day I learn something new from the numlock news newsletter. Apparently, fashion sense tells us that low cut socks are currently bad....which, ummmmm. sure?

 

[overgeeked]

TIL the Earth's core is rotating in reverse to the rest of the planet.

https://www.cnn.com/2024/07/05/science/earth-inner-core-rotation-slowdown-cycle-scn/index.html

 

[Dioltach]

The Black Forest isn't a forest. It's a mountain range.

 

[payn]

I didnt learn this today but I did learn about gunner strength gin which the naval story reminded me about. Gunner strength is the percent of alcohol you need to be able to still light gunpowder on fire when soaked in it, but be able to drink it without dying.

Edit: my bad its Navy Strength not gunner.