› added 1 year ago

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TIL of the Diderot Effect, which makes you want to buy more things when you buy one new thing.

ANJj4 TIL Vincent van Gogh created around 2,100 artworks during his lifetime. This includes about 860 oil paintings and over 700 drawings. Despite his prolific output, he only gained widespread recognition and acclaim posthumously. Van Gogh’s artwork can be viewed on his official page.
J118Q TIL In 1898, William McLean imported the first motor vehicle into New Zealand. An urgent act was passed through parliament to allow motor cars on roads, set a maximum speed of 12mph and allow local authorities to license vehicles.
awvkA TIL that a high school girl became the first person to fold a paper in half 12 times. She also derived the equation describing the limit of paper folding. No theoretical limit exists but the thickness of a paper folded 103 times in half would exceed the size of the known universe
pYn8O TIL of John Galvan, a wrongfully convicted man was released after 35yrs thanks to Mythbusters. He was forced to sign a confession to lighting a Molotov with a cigarette, killing two men. One day, in his cell, watching a rerun of Mythbusters, MB proved this to be impossible, and so he was freed.
kOGng TIL that in general, when asked to picture their own b-day party 20 yrs from now, those who picture the party in first person (thru their own eyes) are likely to save more for retirement than those who picture seeing themselves in 3rd person at the party.