› added 5 years ago

175

TIL that not all mosquitoes bite people to suck your blood.

Read more loc.gov

via reddit.com

69yG8 TIL that a "cloudburst" is a sudden and extreme downpour of rain over a small area within a short period of time, often accompanied by strong winds and sometimes hail and thunderstorm. They are especially common in mountainous areas and have caused several deadly flash floodings on record.
6lEw TIL Brain scans show compulsive gamers have hyperconnected neural networks. One researcher said: “Hyperconnectivity between these brain networks could lead to a more robust ability to direct attention toward targets, and to recognize novel information in the environment.”
kR61 TIL of Luigi Cadorna, Italian WWI general. Infamously inept, he sent 300k troops to die in the Alps, randomly executing his own soldiers to motivate them.
Ol87 TIL in 1977, the band Pink Floyd tied a giant inflatable pig to a power station as a publicity stunt. The pig broke free, and floated over Heathrow airport, where all flights had to be grounded to avoid collisions with the pig.
jNQAn TIL The year that Lord of the Rings author, J.R.R. Tolkien, died is rather unique. He died in 1973, that number may sound familiar: 1 ring to rule them all, 9 rings for men, 7 rings for the dwarves, and 3 rings for the elves!