› added 4 years ago

289

TIL Being forgetful makes you smarter. The primary function of memory is to improve decision making, so forgetting irrelevant details helps you to make more informed and relevant decisions.

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xVlW7 TIL that during WWII, the large crosswelded metal beams that covered the beaches of Normandy on D-day are called Hemmbalken, and were supposed to wreck landing craft that were expected to attack during high tide. The Allies instead charged while exposed during low tide.
4k6DN TIL President Gerald Ford once tried to eat a tamale without taking off the corn husk while campaigning
R7PMa TIL 100 square miles of LA are surrounded by a religious physical wall called an "eruv" which symbolically extends the private domain of Jewish households into public areas, permitting activities within it that are normally forbidden in public on the Sabbath, such as carrying babies.
O1b1 TIL in a 2009 TED talk about Malaria, Bill Gates brought a jar of mosquitos onto the stage and released them into the crowd to frighten the audience into considering the dangers of Malaria closer to home.
oB50R TIL that most Western European countries categorize foods based on a score called Nutri-score, rated A to E. High content of fruits and vegetables, fibers, and protein promote a preferable score, while high content of energy, sugar, saturated fatty acids, and sodium promote a detrimental score.