› added 9 years ago

73

TIL of Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, a town in New Zealand. The name means “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one”.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

epdbL TIL that 20% of scientific genetics research papers have errors due to Microsoft Excel's auto-formatting of gene names into dates
oRJaL TIL hundreds of mummified seals have been found as far as 41 miles inland in Antarctica. One tested specimen had been sitting out in the open for 1,500 years. Researchers theorize that 1-2 seals annually get lost during white-out events and accidentally travel inland, where they eventually die.
OokY TIL In 1899, President McKinley was assured by the director of the US Patent Office that everything that can be invented has already been invented.
Odx7 TIL In 2004, An NYU Student spent 8 months living in the college library due to being unable to afford tuition and room & board despite a $15000/yr scholarship and working 30 hours a week. Upon learning about this, the university gave him free accommodation through the summer.
WkdVL TIL the US President can order the military to seize possession of an unclaimed island anywhere in the world if it is found to be covered in bird poo