› added 5 years ago

68

TIL Several computer algorithms have named Bobby Fischer the best chess player in history. Years after his retirement Bobby played a grandmaster at the height of his career. He said Bobby appeared bored and effortlessly beat him 17 times in a row. "He was too good. There was no use in playing him"

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

p6vp TIL that researchers on a sub-Antarctic island observed fur seals chasing and raping penguins. The researchers speculated the fur seals could be practicing their sexual skills or releasing sexual frustration. In one instance, a seal finished the sexual encounter by killing and eating the penguin.
ne1jr TIL that another star passed through our solar system 70,000 years ago. Early humans may have looked up to see another star passing through our solar system.
ZpA6R TIL that the 46th ranked women's single table tennis player in the entire world (and also part of the 10th ranked women's doubles team in the world) recently celebrated her 60th birthday (yes SIXTY).
JYkW8 TIL members of the Heaven's Gate cult were carrying $5.75 in their pockets at the time of their mass suicide in 1997 in reference to the fare to get to heaven on the tail of a comet in Mark Twain’s short story Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven.
awlEL TIL A Charlie Brown Christmas was written in several weeks, and produced on a small budget in 6 months. It was completed just 10 days before the premiere. All involved believed the special would be a disaster, with director Bill Melendez remarking after a screening, "My golly, we've killed it."