› added 12 years ago

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TIL McDonalds has closed down in six countries (Bermuda, Barbados, Bolivia, Jamaica, Iceland and Montenegro)

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ADNWa The human brain looks like a big, pinkish-gray, wrinkly walnut. There are so many folds in it that, if it could be unfolded, it could be a small tablecloth. Pinkish-gray might not match your decor, but it would be about the right size! This "tablecloth" is made up of the cerebral cortex and is the wrinkly outside layer of your brain. All those folds are responsible for abstract thought, language, and memory. Scientists believe the wrinkles exist as a way to increase the surface area of the cortex, allowing for increased brainpower in a smaller space. In this week’s Today I Learned, neuroscientist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Steve Ramirez shares some of his smarts on how your cortex is different from your pet hamster’s.
N7mJP TIL that France built a fake Paris in WWI to confuse german bombers, which was located North of Real Paris
5Vrw8 TIL that Bing Russell (Kurt Russell’s dad), as owner of the Portland Mavericks, banned corporate sponsors and hired pro baseball’s first female and Asian American GMs. His motto was fun.
ayV9 TIL the Ancient Romans had a method for choosing the best puppies out of a litter which involved surrounding a litter with an oil-soaked string and setting it on fire. The mother dog would jump over the ring of flames and rescue each puppy one by one, it was believed, in order of their merit.
6W0W TIL in 1918 after the Treaty of Versailles (end of WW I) the French Commander-in-chief said “This is not a Peace. It is an Armistice for 20 years”. 20 years and 65 days later, WW II happened