› added 11 years ago

216

TIL that most of the walk buttons at NYC intersections serve no purpose. They are “placebo buttons” and do not make a walk signal occur faster. Any benefit from them is only imagined.

Read more nytimes.com

via reddit.com

epWM5 TIL that wasps have to 'perish' in a fig and it turns into a soup before becoming fruit
eN7g TIL Adolf Hitler’s nephew William Patrick Hitler served in the US Navy in World War II and was awarded a Purple Heart. After attempting to benefit from his uncle’s rise to power in Germany, he turned against him and eventually settled in the USA
8vkb TIL the package that Tom Hanks did not open in “Castaway” contained “a waterproof, solar-powered satellite phone” according to Robert Zemeckis
XBGR TIL that before the invention of the heart-lung machine, surgeons used “cross circulation” for open heart surgeries - a child was connected to their parent’s heart, which oxygenated the patient’s blood and pumped it back in.
jNV0Q TIL that scientists can remote-control rats by implanting electrodes in their brains, such that they get a rush of pleasure when they obey sent commands. Scientists can make them turn left or right, even climb objects. They are not forced to obey, they just want to because of the pleasure reward.