Today I learned yesterday

TIL Nicolas Cage was never paid the $100K he was promised to star in Leaving Las Vegas (1995) despite winning the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role. Director Mike Figgis was also never paid his $100K salary. The studio said the film never made a profit even though the $4m movie grossed $32m.

Nicolas Cage Never Paid $100K Leaving Las Vegas Fee Says Mike Figgis

Writer-director Mike Figgis reveals that Leaving Las Vegas star Nicolas Cage was never paid his $100,000 acting fee and more on THR Podcast It Happ...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1t3wa10/til_nicolas_cage_was_never_paid_the_100k_he_was/

Today I learned 3 days ago

TIL in the 1980s, A&W launched a third-pound burger that they sold for the same price as the quarter-pound burgers of their competitors. The release flopped, because people mistakenly believed a third of a pound was smaller than a quarter of a pound.

A&W Restaurants - The Truth About A&W's Third-Pound Burger and the Major Math Mix-Up

Looking for some hometown goodness? Take a look at what's going on at your local A&W, stop in and lets us know how we're doing!

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1t2cuma/til_in_the_1980s_aw_launched_a_thirdpound_burger/

Today I learned 1 month ago

TIL the iconic 1989 Tiananmen Square "Tank Man" protester—captured in a photo blocking a line of Chinese tanks—has never been conclusively identified.

The story behind the iconic ‘Tank Man’ photo

At first, Jeff Widener was annoyed by the man entering his shot. Little did he know that he was about to make one of the most iconic photos in hist...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1sdm3f1/til_the_iconic_1989_tiananmen_square_tank_man/

Today I learned 1 month ago

TIL that condoms made according to international sizes are too large for majority of Indian men.

BBC News - Condoms 'too big' for Indian men

A survey of more than 1,000 men in India concludes that condoms made according to international sizes are too big for most Indian men.

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1scclqs/til_that_condoms_made_according_to_international/

Today I learned 1 month ago

TIL that Burmese pythons have a compound, pTOS, in their blood that increases more than 1000-fold after a meal. When pTOS was given to obese mice they lost 9% of their body weight after 28 days. This suggests pTOS could pave the way for new anti-obesity drugs. https://www.nature.com/articles/s42255-026-01485-0 #til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ry64l9/til_that_burmese_pythons_have_a_compound_ptos_in/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL that as of February 2026, Starlink has officially hit the 10,000-satellite milestone, making up 65% of all active satellites. Scientists warn that a single major solar storm could knock out their navigation and trigger a "Kessler Syndrome" chain reaction, trapping humanity on Earth.

Starlink deploys 500th satellite of 2026

SpaceX launched its 500th Starlink satellite of the year during a flight from Vandenberg Space Force Base on February 25th. The Falcon 9 rocket car...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1rhoa8l/til_that_as_of_february_2026_starlink_has/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL the room used to collect sperm at a sperm bank is called a masturbatorium

Sperm bank - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1rgtb40/til_the_room_used_to_collect_sperm_at_a_sperm/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL 53% of Americans think they're "cool".

Woodward Community Media Springfield

Do You Think You’re “Cool”? Most Americans Say Yes, They Are

Beyonc, Harry Styles . . . that old guy from the Dos Equis ads: All people who are definitely "cool." But do y...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1rbpahi/til_53_of_americans_think_theyre_cool/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL the iPad started development before the iPhone, despite releasing 3 years later.

iPad - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1raq63q/til_the_ipad_started_development_before_the/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL our galaxy, in part, is flavoured like raspberries and scented of rum. In 2009 scientist performed telescopic spectroscopy on the Sagittarius B cloud at the centre of our Milky Way and found Ethyl Formate - which gives raspberries their distinct flavour and has a faint rum scent. https://analyticalscience.wiley.com/content/article-do/raspberry-flavoured-galactic-centre-hint-rum #til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1r8wc0m/til_our_galaxy_in_part_is_flavoured_like/

Today I learned 2 months ago

TIL about 'atmospheric rivers'...these narrow bands of water vapor in the sky that can transport twice the volume of the Amazon River. The 'Pineapple Express' is a famous one that draws moisture from near Hawaii and slams the US West Coast with devastating storms, flooding, and mudslides

Pineapple Express - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qy92a0/til_about_atmospheric_riversthese_narrow_bands_of/

Today I learned 3 months ago

TIL that Daylight Saving Time (DST) actually reduces deer-car collisions. This happens as DST shifts commuting peak hours to daylight, resulting in lower overlaps with deers which are most active at dusk.

UW News

Permanent daylight saving time would reduce deer-vehicle collisions, study shows

University of Washington researchers found that adopting permanent daylight saving time in the United States would reduce deer-vehicle collisions a...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qrsnms/til_that_daylight_saving_time_dst_actually/

Today I learned 3 months ago

TIL David Rockefeller had 7 heart transplants before his death at 101 years of age https://telegrafi.com/en/the-billionaire-who-could-not-buy-eternity-even-though-he-changed-his-heart-seven-times/ #til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qcp71j/til_david_rockefeller_had_7_heart_transplants/

Today I learned 3 months ago

TIL Sega published a game called Segagaga, a role playing game where the player is tasked with preventing Sega from losing the home console market. The game was released 2 days before the Dreamcast was discontinued.

Segagaga - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qcm62t/til_sega_published_a_game_called_segagaga_a_role/

Today I learned 3 months ago

TIL Voltaire had enough money to sit around and think all day because he noticed a flaw in the national lottery which he exploited to win half a million livre, worth as much as $120 million today by some measures

Smithsonian Magazine

Voltaire: Enlightenment Philosopher and Lottery Scammer

The French government was trying to raise money by running a bond lottery, but a group of intellectuals had other ideas

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1qcih2h/til_voltaire_had_enough_money_to_sit_around_and/

Today I learned 4 months ago

TIL Priests Can’t Report Confessions, Even if It's a Murder

The Seal of Confession

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1pz3yjv/til_priests_cant_report_confessions_even_if_its_a/

Today I learned 4 months ago

TIL Jane Goodall observed a 4 year "civil war" among chimpanzees at Gombe Stream National Park. The conflict involved kidnapping, organized violence, and the total annihilation of a breakaway group, shocking Goodall who previously thought chimps were peaceful.

Gombe Chimpanzee War - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1py8zxs/til_jane_goodall_observed_a_4_year_civil_war/

Today I learned 4 months ago

TIL Voltaire most famous quote isn't about HRE. It's "With great power comes great responsibility"

Power - Wikiquote

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1pw4ow9/til_voltaire_most_famous_quote_isnt_about_hre_its/

Today I learned 4 months ago

TIL about "Superfest," a brand of nearly indestructible drinking glasses invented in Communist Germany. They were 15x stronger than standard glass, but production was shut down after the collapse of East Germany in favour of planned obsolence

Superfest - Wikipedia

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1pqj6c3/til_about_superfest_a_brand_of_nearly/

Today I learned 4 months ago

TIL that today, 122 years ago, the Wright brothers made the first powered flight at Kitty Hawk—Orville’s first flight lasted just 12 seconds and went 120 feet.

The Wright Brothers Made History at Kitty Hawk

Wilbur and Orville Wright made history in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina. They made the first powered, controlled flight of a heavier-than-air flying m...

#til #todayilearned https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ppdwbr/til_that_today_122_years_ago_the_wright_brothers/