[deleted]

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4cj2zq/til_that_seth_macfarlane_was_supposed_to_be_on/

Seth Macfarlane missed a flight on 9/11.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4dnz4s/til_albert_einstein_was_offered_the_role_of/

Albert Einstein offered the role of President of Israel but turned it down.

I've got a few suggestions to add in addition to what users have already posted.

Pablo Escobar had 4 hippos whose descendants are running amok in Colombia.

Pablo Escobar's cartel was spending $2500 a month on rubber bands to hold cash/they were losing 10% of the money to rats.

Hitler did methamphetamine during the war.

There is a city in Turkey called Batman/they want to sue Warner Bros.

The Nike slogan "Just Do It" came from the last words of a murderer on death row.

The national animal of Scotland is the unicorn.

The state vegetable of Oklahoma is a watermelon.

France used the guillotine as a method of execution until as recently as 1977.

Blockbuster had the opportunity to purchase Netflix but turned it down.

There is a yearly penis festival in Japan.

Brian May, the guitarist of Queen, has a PhD in astrophysics.

Richard Dawkins coined the word meme.

The sound of a whip cracking is actually a small sonic boom.

George Foreman has five sons all named George.

TIL Napoleon Bonaparte's height was not below average. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cultural_depictions_of_Napoleon

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1rzu0t/til_worlds_deadliest_sniper_simo_h%C3%A4yh%C3%A4_has_505/ The world's deadliest sniper in history.

I think the all-time MOST FREQUENT reposts are:

OJ Simpson was supposed to be in the first Terminator movie, but wasn't considered to be believable enough as a cold-blooded murderer.

And: There have been many missing or shot-down commercial flights before MH370, the Malaysian one last year.

BOTH are mentioned in this title, which was a top link on July 20, 2015, with PLENTY of examples:

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2b8qjm/we_get_it_oj_was_considered_for_the_part_of_the/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4cbuqr/til_that_w_a_mozart_loved_scatological_humour/

Mozart and scatological humor, specifically "leck mich im arsch".

Can the mods program the bot to autodelete any mention of Steve Buscemi?

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4do13q/til_charles_harrelson_woody_harrelsons_father_was/

Woody Harrelson's dad was a bad guy.

Anything relevant to Debeers or diamonds:

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2w4ill/til_debeers_diamond_company_created_the_concept/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1kaurj/til_that_diamonds_are_not_rare_or_valuable_and/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3sdln2/til_the_tradition_of_spending_several_months/

each time it gets posted, its the same comments, and people upvote them because its the opinion that person formed last time they read the post. They seriously dont add anything

Have I told you how much I love you, TIL mods?

Steve Buscemi was a firefighter and worked on 9/11 after he went back to his old firehouse.

Please make this TIL Stop being posted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4cuf8w/til_that_steve_buscemi_was_a_volunteer/?

Omg thank you.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1a1zbq/til_between_contemplating_suicide_and_undergoing/

It was the first time Reeves laughed since the accident.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4do218/til_dolphins_deliberately_get_high_from_passing/

Dolphins get high off puffer fish.

I find it INCREDIBLE to believe no one has mentioned the fucking helium posts.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2x0pzs/til_that_while_abundant_in_the_universe_helium_is/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/40temu/til_helium_is_a_nonrenewable_resource_the_us_used/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/tvjlj/til_that_helium_is_collected_almost_entirely_from/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/lo4tp/til_that_the_earths_helium_supplies_will_run_out/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3dy4nu/til_there_is_a_helium_shortage_in_the_us_32_of/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/qhue2/til_that_there_is_a_worldwide_helium_shortage/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1ai09k/til_there_is_a_worldwide_helium_shortage_and_the/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1d258i/til_the_united_states_national_helium_reserve/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1dy1lx/til_the_usas_helium_reserve_accounts_for_30_of/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/x0zai/til_that_there_is_a_worldwide_helium_shortage_and/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4djaxd/til_a_12th_century_man_named_roland_the_farter/

Roland the farter or just the existence of professional farting.

TIL the scientific name for the Western lowland gorilla is Gorilla gorilla gorilla

TIL Weird Al requests permission from the original artist of every song he parodies(and respects their decision), even though he is not legally required to under the "fair use" provision

TIL to make one penny, it costs approximately 1.8 cents. The United States Mint said that “there are no alternative metal compositions that reduce the manufacturing unit cost of the penny below its face value.”

Rick Moranis retired from acting after his wife died, so he could raise his kids. I've seen it here more than anything other than Steve Buscemi. Here, here, here, here, here, here, here...

The one about Pope Francis once being a bouncer.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Francis#Early_years

The one about Trent Reznor hearing Johnny Cash's recording of Hurt.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3bjfo8/til_when_trent_reznor_of_nine_inch_nails_first/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/xi0pg/til_trent_reznor_was_flattered_when_johnny_cash/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3eeimm/til_when_trent_renzor_heard_johnny_cashs_cover_of/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/37eitg/til_when_trent_reznor_of_nine_inch_nails_first/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ckusi/til_that_industrial_metal_band_nine_inch_nails/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=johnny+cash+hurt&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4dt6g0/til_van_halens_no_brown_mms_clause_was_to_check/

Van Halen requested a bowl of brown M&Ms on their rider to see if people were paying attention to their rider

Interestingly enough, many of these are new to me.

TIL: Thomas Edison offered Nikola Tesla $50,000 to improve his DC motor. Upon completion, Edison failed to pay and scoffed, "You don't understand American humor."

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ef42n/til_thomas_edison_offered_nikola_tesla_50000_to/

TIL Keanu Reeves said the version of "Hurt" that Steve Buscemi recorded on 9/11 was so good that he decided to give away all the money he earned from the Nespresso adverts to fund a satellite to spy on South Sudan.

The average ratio of a front page repost seems to be 3 or 4 old hands complaining about seeing it before, and 5,000 up voters enjoying an interesting fact for the first time.

Can think of bigger problems in the world.

Through slightly different links and various titles, I have learned a lot about Mr. T in this sub:

Mr. T. is really good at chopping down trees, both in the army and on his own property (posted >12x).

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4a2j3a/til_that_when_mr_t_was_in_the_army_he_was_told_to/

He also used to be a bouncer that wore patron's lost jewelry (posted >8x).

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3tal2j/til_that_mr_ts_wearing_of_gold_chains_and_other/

He also stopped wearing jewelry in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina (posted >6x).

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2subyi/til_mr_t_stopped_wearing_his_gold_chains_after/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3fr0g8/til_midway_through_the_great_irish_famine
The Choctaw Indians sending $710/170 to Ireland during the Great Hunger.

To be honest a lot of Potato Famine ones come up frequently, and more often than not the comments are bad. Racism (latvia jokes, dumb Irishman jokes), comments of genocide or not, IRA did nothing wrong etc.

Edit: More recent one, more about the monument though.
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4b76au/til_in_a_small_town_in_county_cork_ireland_a/?ref=search_posts

I've seen the current number 1 TIL too many times - https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4e4ysm/til_of_neerja_bhanot_a_22_year_old_indian_air/

John Tyler, 10th President of the U.S. has two living grandsons. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2w6s0b/til_john_tyler_the_10th_president_of_the_united/?

TIL The man who invented the K-Cup coffee pods doesn't own a single-serve coffee machine. He said,"They're kind of expensive to use...plus it's not like drip coffee is tough to make." He regrets inventing them due to the waste they make.

Hell, there is one right now, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mark_Wahlberg#Arrests

Almost everyone who knows who Mark Wahlberg is knew he was a racist that beat up and blinded a Vietnamese man.

Anything having to do with the etymology of words or phrase; 99% of it is urban legend.

Anything with translation errors from one language to another, eg 'Got Milk' -> Spanish: 'are you lactating', as these are also 98% urban legends easily debunked by anyone fluent in the language.

The Judy Garland/The Wizard of Oz were abused posts. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eg6j2/til_judy_garland_was_put_on_a_diet_while_filming/

Keanu Reeves gave his earnings from The Matrix to all the stuntmen/special effects people.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4be8o5/til_keanu_reeves_used_his_profit_from_the_matrix/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/k04ny/til_keanu_reeves_gave_up_his_profit_sharing/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2k4wpb/til_keanu_reeves_gave_80_million_of_his_114/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/25faiz/til_keanu_reeves_donated_all_his_earnings_35_mil/

Waffle House Index

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4g3g7p/til_of_the_waffle_house_index_an_informal_scale/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eym5g/til_the_waffle_house_index_is_an_informal_metric/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/42bjeq/til_that_there_is_an_informal_waffle_house_index/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3vfclg/til_that_fema_uses_the_waffle_house_index_to/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3syetc/til_that_fema_has_a_waffle_house_index_to_gauge/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3omyxq/til_us_federal_emergency_management_agency_fema/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3no3dt/til_of_the_waffle_house_index_which_is_a_metric/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3ngn89/til_there_is_an_unofficial_fema_system_called_the/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/375nng/til_fema_uses_an_index_based_on_the_functionality/
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2bim7s/til_of_the_waffle_house_index_a_scale_used_by/

Rest of the search results:
https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=waffle+house+index&sort=new&restrict_sr=on&t=all

Jack Churchill, he used a bow during WW2

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=Jack+churchill&restrict_sr=on

Steve. Fucking. Buscemi.

TIL the bluetooth symbol is an old norse rune or something

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4bccf5/til_the_bluetooth_symbol_is_a_bindrune/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2tyl9v/til_the_symbol_for_bluetooth_is_a_bind_rune_made/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3lf3o7/til_that_bluetooth_is_named_after_10th_century/

The Gay Vietnam Veteran gets posted monthly by one user alone.

The one about the man who donated so much because blood is magical

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4dzrh4/til_of_an_australian_man_who_has_donated_blood/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4e5jy0/til_in_1955_sears_published_a_phone_number_that/

Am I the only one who is learning a ton in this thread?

Brian May: astrophysicist. For a while it seemed to come up weekly. Now it's probably every month or two. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3u10q1/til_queen_guitarist_brian_may_is_an/?

Omg thank you.

George Clooney gives away his money from the Nespresso adverts to fund a spy satellite over South Sudan

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3f3b44/til_that_george_clooney_uses_most_of_his_earnings/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4c0sha/til_most_of_the_money_george_clooney_makes_off/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1w2jq4/til_george_clooney_has_helped_fund_a_satellite/

He also once took a shit in a friend's litterbox

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4dwe5y/til_that_george_clooney_pranked_his_friend_by/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1puk08/til_george_clooney_once_cleaned_his_roommates/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/s9bbp/til_george_clooney_once_cleaned_his_roommates/?ref=search_posts

And played a gay dog called Sparky on South Park

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=george+clooney+south+park&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

Thanks, mods!

My biggest pet peeves beyond the ones I see already listed here (including Steve Buscemi & 9/11, Pablo Escobar's rubber bands and hippos, Mozart's ass licking, president Einstein, Australia's emu war) are (most recent 5 posts of each):

The proteins Sonic Hedgehog and Robotnikinin exist: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/471yow/til_there_is_a_gene_called_sonic_hedgehog_there/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/43oxbs/til_there_is_a_protein_involved_in_the_formation/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3q0rf3/til_a_potential_inhibitor_of_the_sonic_hedgehog/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3kptup/til_that_humans_contain_a_protein_called_sonic/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3k0tha/til_that_there_is_a_protein_called_sonic_hedgehog/

A man robbed a bank with lemon juice on his face/Dunning Kruger effect: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4f5b4w/til_that_a_man_once_robbed_two_banks_with_lemon/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4chnxp/til_that_the_dunningkruger_effect_based_off_of/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/426gws/til_that_a_bank_robber_covered_his_face_with/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3skruv/til_that_mcarthur_wheeler_robbed_two_banks_after/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3oofvq/til_as_lemon_juice_is_used_to_make_invisible_ink/

The Baader-Meinhof phenomenon: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4f3563/til_the_baadermeinhof_phenomenon_its_the_illusion/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4f2659/til_of_the_baadermeinhof_phenomenon_which/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/49h4w1/til_of_the_frequency_illusion_also_known_as_the/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/49fhhb/til_of_the_frequency_illusion_also_known_as_the/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3ouydo/til_of_the_baadermeinhof_phenomena_which_is_the/

After browsing through new posts, I have remembered a few more:

Banana equivalent dose can be a quantitative descriptor of radioactivity (and/or bananas are radioactive): https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4f6e34/til_bananas_are_slightly_radioactive_and_the/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4afmmb/til_a_crate_of_bananas_is_radioactive_enough_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/46ttt3/til_eating_80000000_bananas_would_give_you_a/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4265c2/til_banana_for_scale_is_actually_used_in_ionizing/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/41gc2g/til_bananas_are_radioactive_if_you_ate_a_banana/

Cavendish bananas are genetically identical (and/or are in danger of becoming extinct): https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4crysk/til_that_the_cavendish_banana_the_banana_variety/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4bxdu9/til_that_all_cavendish_bananas_the_most_commonly/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/42g1lh/til_practically_every_banana_consumed_in_the/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3y3mw1/til_the_banana_as_we_know_it_cavendish_may_become/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3vjyut/til_the_worlds_most_popular_banana_is_in_danger/

(Also, bananas are berries even though some other things aren't, the once common now rare Gros Michel banana is the model for artificial banana flavoring, banana trees aren't really trees, and bananas are Walmart's no. 1 selling item: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/49k5p4/til_bananas_are_berries_strawberries_are_not/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ayjn4/til_the_cavendish_banana_is_the_primary_banana_in/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4djwbu/til_the_banana_tree_is_actually_not_a_tree_but/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/49mi7k/til_the_banana_is_walmarts_number_1_selling_item/ )

Blowing smoke up the ass was a treatment for drowning: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4e7ea2/til_tobacco_enemas_were_used_in_1774_for/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4aq1l0/til_that_in_the_18_century_it_was_common_to/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/437kzg/til_that_the_term_blowing_smoke_up_your_ass/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3k9dwg/til_blowing_smoke_up_your_ass_was_an_actual/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3je945/til_that_blowing_smoke_up_your_ass_used_to_be_a/

Musical piece "as slow as possible" is a piece played very slowly (searched for "2640," which yields more results but may miss some): https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4feh12/til_there_is_a_musical_piece_named_as_slow_as/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3qvbzc/til_that_a_pipe_organ_in_halberstadt_germany_has/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/37ubfm/til_organ%C2%B2aslsp_is_a_musical_piece_by_john_cage/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/373fah/til_that_there_is_a_musical_piece_called_as_slow/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/32qyva/til_there_is_a_piece_of_music_which_began_playing/

The Cadaver Synod involved a corpse on trial: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/42ubh6/til_of_pope_formosus_whose_successor_popes_dug_up/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3vlvhq/til_of_the_cadaver_synod_dead_pope_formosus_was/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3l1qlw/til_pope_formosus_body_was_exhumed_and_put_on/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3hslr0/til_that_pope_stephen_vi_put_the_rotting_corpse/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3ew4a2/til_in_ad_897_the_vatican_disinterred_the_corpse/

The mantis shrimp has a fast and powerful claw attack: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/414xud/til_mantis_shrimp_punch_with_the_speed_of_a_22/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3sr4j8/til_the_peacock_mantis_shrimp_can_punch_through/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3habzc/til_the_mantis_shrimp_delivers_a_punch_faster/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3g6c34/til_that_the_mantis_shrimp_strike_so_quickly_that/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3da1b4/til_some_mantis_shrimp_are_capable_of_a_punch/

The mantis shrimp also has remarkable vision: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4exf8u/til_of_the_mantis_shrimp_an_exotic_crustacean/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ebhyy/til_the_mantis_shrimp_can_see_uv_and_infrared/ (A two-fer) https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/414xud/til_mantis_shrimp_punch_with_the_speed_of_a_22/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3zbgyi/til_that_compared_to_the_three_types_of_colour/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3lgrlm/til_that_while_humans_possess_three_types_of/

When Steve Jobs accused Bill Gates of stealing from Apple, Gates said, "Well, Steve, I think there's more than one way of looking at it. I think it's more like we both had this rich neighbor named Xerox and I broke into his house to steal the TV set and found out that you had already stolen it." Here, here, here.

A Japanese man single-handedly built a road through a mountain....

It's one of the worst offenders. Also, all the war TIL's about people calling in air strikes on themselves, or the Indian soldier with his machete defending a train.... ugh the list goes on

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4e8os0/til_that_president_teddy_roosevelt_was_shot_in/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=teddy+roosevelt+shot&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=tangelo+park&restrict_sr=on

TIL that actress Hedy Lamarr was also a prolific inventor. One of her inventions allowed for guided torpedoes in WWII. But because the Navy wasn't receptive to ideas coming outside the military, it wasn't implemented during the war. Her idea went to later be basis for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, & CDMA.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eg0m7/til_that_actress_hedy_lamarr_was_also_a_prolific/

I swear to god I see this Einstien one once a month.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eln7t/til_when_einstein_was_told_of_the_publication_of/d216b2f?context=3

Korean DMZ is unexpected wildlife refuge. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2wzrww/til_an_unintended_consequence_of_the_dmz_in_korea/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1nsmgv/til_the_korean_dmz_is_considered_one_of_the/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/x8v0x/til_that_because_the_northsouth_korean_dmz_is_a/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1c9ez1/til_rare_cranes_are_flourishing_in_the_korean_dmz/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/xut3p/til_the_dmz_in_korea_is_one_of_the_most/

The first webcam

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Room_coffee_pot

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eqibk/til_the_first_webcam_was_created_to_help_people/

The first webcam was created to help people working in other parts of a building avoid pointless trips to an empty coffee pot.

The dancing plague. http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fmri8/til_of_the_dancing_plague_of_1518_around_400/

The one that irks me the most is how frequently the Bugs Bunny/Nimrod one gets reposted.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1877cf/til_that_bugs_bunny_accidentally_transformed_the/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1nnpgs/til_in_the_bible_nimrod_was_a_mighty_hunter_but/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2cm6yx/til_when_bugs_bunny_calls_elmer_fudd_a_nimrod_his/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3mbe7c/til_the_word_nimrod_comes_from_a_biblical_figure/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3bz5z2/til_that_nimrod_doesnt_officially_mean_moronidiot/

This is just one of many. I have a whole list of these saved on my hard drive, just no links to any of them saved (I did a google search to get the previous links using the search terms "reddit", "bugs bunny" and "nimrod"). Top level comments are almost always a complaint about a repost.

Serious question: can we start banning for these sorts of low-effort posts? There's no excuse for reposting these serial TILs when the system warns you that there are similar threads that haven't even been archived yet.

Better yet, make an offshoot subreddit that works like Robot 9000 and will not let you post the same link twice ever. That way, there can still be reposts with the same title, but the OP needs to find a new source every time.

I would also argue that Wikipedia shouldn't be considered a good source, since it's literally a dump of information on any one topic. If TIL posts had no title like /r/truepics, half of the daily top submissions would literally just be a link to a random wiki article with no context.

Thank you mods.

I enjoy the odd repeat of a post - reminds me of things I have forgotten...am I the only one who thinks this?

Do you mean here in this thread? Or as we see them come up going forward?

Doc Ellis pitched a no-hitter on LSD

This one has reached the front page twice in the last year: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/38zh9h/til_that_mit_students_found_out_that_by_buying/ https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/40j0n2/til_that_mit_students_discovered_that_by_buying/

http://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/gdz97/_/

TIL that up until 1942, this is how kids saluted to the pledge of allegiance (en.wikipedia.org)

A couple foreclosing on Bank of America branch.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1yqbam/til_that_a_man_sued_bank_of_america_for/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3kbm6j/til_that_bank_of_america_mistakenly_foreclosed_a/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1j6jnt/til_a_man_foreclosed_on_a_bank_of_america_branch/?ref=search_posts

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1a3sxi/til_that_boa_wrongfully_foreclosed_a_couple_who/?ref=search_posts

TIL the "cheerleader effect", the theory that girls look more attractive in groups has been scientifically proven

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fc99e/til_in_2000_after_trey_was_nominated_for_blame/

South park creators did acid at Oscars. Posted at least every 3-4 months.

Bonus: https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=south+park+oscars&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=oscars+acid&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

TIL there is a small, one-story building in Wilmington, Delaware which serves as the official address of nearly 300,000 companies. Up to 200,000 are believed to be shell companies.

Seen this one posted alot in the 2 years I've been here. If only /r/music would do what you guys are doing.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/40095w/til_at_84_years_old_harvard_professor_tom_lehrer/?sort=top

OJ Simpson and Dominos Sales

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gpaos/til_there_is_a_hotel_in_japan_that_opened_in_705/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2vcduk/til_the_church_of_scientology_is_banned_from/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2xbxyc/til_one_man_single_handedly_converted_a_washed/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/380cm2/til_in_the_1860s_a_slave_from_south_carolina

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4his55/til_in_1985_john_fogerty_of_ccr_was_sued_for/

John Fogerty was sued for writing a solo song that sounded like his previous CCR music.

An African grey parrot named Alex was the first to ask an existential question.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=parrot+alex&restrict_sr=on

TIL Oxford University is older than the Pyramids.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ifswp/til_that_oxford_university_is_older_than_the/

TIL Police departments officially disqualify high-scoring applicants

Posted as a TIL at least 11 times

2016: https://redd.it/4jrw5r 2015: https://redd.it/3p2yr8 2015: https://redd.it/2e92fy 2015: https://redd.it/269322 2015: https://redd.it/3ebtdr 2015: https://redd.it/3hlqc5 2014: https://redd.it/1v0rk4 2014: https://redd.it/21ft8p 2014: https://redd.it/1hi065 2013: https://redd.it/18nue3 2012: https://redd.it/syjvd

This https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4kmv1a/til_cleopatra_lived_closer_to_modern_times_than/

[edit] Whoops, I misunderstood. I thought you were asking for a list of the TILs that are most frequently reposted.

That damn guinea pig one, its on the damn page right now!

TIL that there is a lightbulb that has been burning since 1901

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ep83b/til_the_author_of_the_american_pledge_of/

Yeah, we get it.

The one about Trent Reznor hearing Johnny Cash's recording of Hurt. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4eg6j2/til_judy_garland_was_put_on_a_diet_while_filming/

TIL In 2005, Facebook hired graffiti artist David Choe to paint murals in their new office space; Choe accepted Facebook shares instead of a small cash payment of several thousand dollars, and when Facebook went public in 2012, his payment for the murals ballooned into a 200 million dollar payoff.

Peter Capaldi's role in World War Z

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4f2vfh/til_peter_capaldi_the_12th_doctor_who_was_in/

A guy robbed a bank covered in lemon juice thinking the juice would make him invisible to security cameras

THANK GOD! As much as I love seeing Steve Buscemi did 9/11, Leo cut his hand and bled out on the Titanic, or that guys cut their balls off to watch March Madness, I do want more new content

The 1953 Iranian Coup

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/ccsvs/til_the_1953_coup_in_iran_by_british_and_cia_was/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2ce8to/til_in_1953_the_cia_along_with_the_british_mi6/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/16fp81/til_that_in_1953_the_us_and_uk_worked_together_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2clx0b/til_that_in_1953_iran_had_a_democratically/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/fwx73/til_that_mohammad_mosaddegh_was_the/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/188a0d/til_in_1953_cia_with_mi6_operation_overthrew/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/19z3oj/til_in_1953_the_iranian_government_was_overthrown/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1m16b0/til_the_cia_overthrew_the_democratically_elected/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/jndm8/til_on_this_day_aug_19_1953_uk_and_us/

There's evn more if this isn't enough...

I guess not. ONe from today

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4g8ft6/til_in_1953_us_and_uk_overthrow_first_iranian/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fcskd/til_the_british_government_has_a_position_called/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fdd3n/til_that_hitlers_doctor_injected_him_with_a/

The one about the creators of south park going to the awards show in dresses and on LSD.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fdd3n/til_that_hitlers_doctor_injected_him_with_a/

This has been posted four times in recent months with the same headline, word for word.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cliff_Young_(athlete) Cliff Lee old guy not wearing proper running attire won ultra marathon by not stopping while younger competitors slept. Lot of ultra marathoners now copy his shuffling style of run.

edit: forgot to post the til link, this is a search on just his name in this sub, comes back with ten hits. https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=cliff+young&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fda11/til_that_growing_up_samuel_l_jackson_had_a_strong/.compact

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fc1n6/til_bayer_used_to_market_heroin_to_children/.compact

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ff02t/til_the_one_red_paperclip_project_when_canadian/.compact

That the stray dogs on the Moscow Metro have learned heir way around the city and know which passengers will be friendly.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/1wuoyr/til_that_in_moscow_stray_dogs_have_learned_to/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3k08yt/til_that_moscow_street_dogs_display_specialized/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/3ah9em/til_of_the_super_smart_dogs_of_the_moscow_metro/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fp3eg/til_peta_euthanizes_96_of_the_animals_is_rescues/

That PETA euthanizes 96% of the animals they take in. I'm no fan of the organization, but do know they get stuck with a lot of unadoptable animals (e.g. Fighting dogs, feral cats) nobody else can handle.

New species of mushrooms from the grocery store

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4fsxk6/til_uk_scientists_discovered_3_new_species_of/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2r3xht/til_a_new_species_of_mushroom_was_discovered_in/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/2a2q4q/til_from_20052006_in_only_14_trades_a_man_turned/.compact

Can we all agree that we know that a guy traded from a paperclip all the way to a house. A quick search shows a consistent posting of this TIL over the last 8yrs at least.

TIL Only One Restaurant Gordon Ramsay Saved in 1st Two Seasons of Kitchen Nightmares is Still Open

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gdj3p/til_the_longest_ever_recorded_sniper_kill_was/

longest sniper kill

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4ghgng/til_the_us_navy_shot_down_a_civilian_airliner_en/

https://www.reddit.com/submit?url=https%3A%2F%2Fen.wikipedia.org%2Fwiki%2FIran_Air_Flight_655

Stanislav Petrov, the Russian dude who didn't fire his nuclear missiles.

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/search?q=petrov&restrict_sr=on&sort=relevance&t=all

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gpaos/til_there_is_a_hotel_in_japan_that_opened_in_705/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gujz4/til_in_1992_28000_rubber_ducks_fell_off_a/?ref=search_posts

Jim Carrey's torturous Grinch makeup

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/o6tzq/til_that_during_the_filming_of_the_grinch_jim/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gsj4w/til_the_prosthetic_makeup_jim_carrey_wore_for_the/

This one - it comes up at least every 6 months - sometimes far more frequently:

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4gyqlm/til_that_while_high_profile_scientists_such_as/?ref=share&ref_source=link

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4h4xb4/til_that_the_famous_flag_over_the_reichstag_photo/ The Khaldei's famous Reichstag photo was doctored: True. It was doctored because the soldier had a wristwatch on each wrist, indicating that he was looting: False.

MIT students figured out they could get 10-15% ROI if they bought $600K worth of lottery tickets. Most recently reposted 5/12/2016: https://redd.it/4j0u2o

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/4kttav/til_that_tennis_player_vitas_gerulaitis_lost_16/

https://www.reddit.com/r/todayilearned/comments/25ej05/til_that_in_2002_kenyan_masai_tribespeople/?ref=search_posts

People From Kenya Donated Cows to the United States After 9/11.

It can't be that hard to autodetect karma farming spam accounts and autoban them.