› added 8 years ago

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TIL after falling out with her son, Elton John’s mother hired an Elton John tribute act to play at her 90th birthday party.

Read more bbc.co.uk

via reddit.com

RJx6 TIL ants can accidentally misinterpret the chemical trails left by other ants and start walking in circles. If too many members of the colony join in, it can kill the whole colony in what is sometimes known as the ‘Death Spiral’
8KGb TIL that Diet Coke is actually the sugar free version of the controversial New Coke, whereas Coca-Cola Zero is the sugar free version of regular Coca-Cola.
R7kw8 TIL that Washington DC police ran a fake hip-hop studio to attract criminals and record proof of their illicit deals. "Manic Enterprises" made 70 arrests, snagged $7.2 million in cocaine, and confiscated 161 illegal weapons. Cops shut it down after they heard a gang planned on robbing the studio.
XEDwQ TIL scientists made a mouse utopia called Universe 25. It started with 4 males and 4 females, peaked at 2200 mice, then declined to extinction - the mice lost instinctual behavors. Humans now demonstrate similar traits.
5YZr8 TIL of Alfred Nourney, a German man and social climber who purchased an expensive wardrobe and booked a 1st class ticket on Titanic pretending to be “Baron Alfred von Drachstedt.” Because of the sinking, his ruse was revealed and is what he is best remembered for.