› added 4 years ago

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TIL of Tesler's theorem: “AI is whatever hasn't been done yet". Every time an AI system completes a new feat, that feat loses its status as a benchmark for 'true' intelligence. Then, the goalposts for what counts as AI change again.

rRVmw TIL that the current Georgia state flag is modeled after the first Confederate national flag. In 1956 the state senate voted to incorporate the Confederate battle flag as a statement to preserve segregation. It was only changed to its current version in 2003 after years of refusal by the senate.
EgYbp TIL about the void that forms under certain trees when it snows, called tree wells. The upper branches of the tree prevents snow from falling below it, creating a pocket that is a serious peril for skiers & snow boarders. Several die every year from falling head first into these voids.
R7XQ9 TIL the average freight train is about 1 to 1¼ miles in length (90 to 120 rail cars). When it's moving at 55 miles an hour, it can take a mile or more to stop after the locomotive engineer fully applies the emergency brake.
EgGvV TIL Russian linguist and decipherer of the Mayan script Yuri Knorozov always listed his cat Asya as his co-author, but the editors always removed her. He always used a photo of him with Asya as the author photo, and was annoyed when the editors cropped her out.
awZYb TIL In the Olympics if there is a tie, contestants can share the gold medal. There has been 120 instances of medal sharing since the modern Summer Olympics began in Athens but this is the first time in history where rival athletes from different countries asked about the possibility themselves