Today I Learned

[Nugso]

TIL about Göbekli Tepe while reading Sapiens: A brief histry of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.
It “is an archaeological site atop a mountain ridge in the Southeastern Anatolia Region of modern-day Turkey, approximately 12 km (7 mi) northeast of the city of Şanlıurfa.”

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Göbekli_Tepe​

What is fantastically unusual about this site are the very large carved monumental structures built there
View attachment 112250
about 9500 BCE by hunter gathers rather than by farmers who archeologists have determined have built all other similar kinds of structures found so far.

Heh. I've actually been there.

Also, why it isn't a TIL, I would like to ask you lot: How do you "learn" all those things? For example I learn something every day, but forget in a few days/weeks. Do you write them down too? Or just not care whether you'll remember?

 

[dkotschessaa]

Heh. I've actually been there.

Also, why it isn't a TIL, I would like to ask you lot: How do you "learn" all those things? For example I learn something every day, but forget in a few days/weeks. Do you write them down too? Or just not care whether you'll remember?

If we all used spaced repetition we could remember all those facts almost forever!

 

[Buzz Bloom]

Do you write them down too? Or just not care whether you'll remember?

Hi @Nugso:
I generally bookmark or download stuff I learn. Most of what I learn day-by-day is that I have problems understanding what I am learning. I don't post about those things as a TIL item, but very occasionally I actually come to understand something, or at least I am pretty confident that I have, and then I post about that. When I learn something I don't understand, I sometimes start a thread to seek someone who can explain it to me.

Regards,
Buzz

 

[BillTre]

TIL that some fish can communicate via their urine (like dogs, but shorter term).

Previously IL that some fish can communicate via their farts!
So, both numbers one and two.

These are such Earth shacking revelations that I will just remember them!

 

[dkotschessaa]

Previously IL that some fish can communicate via their farts!

I wasn't aware fish were farters, so that's kind of a 2 for 1 deal there...

On the other hand I'm not sure I want to remember this one.

-Dave K

 

[Nugso]

If we all used spaced repetition we could remember all those facts almost forever!

Hehe, that's where Anki comes in handy I guess :)

Hi @Nugso:
I generally bookmark or download stuff I learn. Most of what I learn day-by-day is that I have problems understanding what I am learning. I don't post about those things as a TIL item, but very occasionally I actually come to understand something, or at least I am pretty confident that I have, and then I post about that. When I learn something I don't understand, I sometimes start a thread to seek someone who can explain it to me.

Regards,
Buzz

I see. I'm currently taking notes of what I'm learning every day such as Nuremberg Trials and hCG. Would be good to remember them forever!

 

[dkotschessaa]

Today I learned that Trebuchet Memes are actually a thing on the internet. http://www.collegehumor.com/post/7041587/19-trebuchet-memes-because-well-we-dont-really-know

 

[Hypercube]

Today I learned the new word: pareidolia.

 

[nsaspook]

Today I learned what might be the loneliest job in the world.

https://sputniknews.com/art_living/201702021050289083-austrian-town-loneliest-job/

The local community in Saalfelden, Austria, offers one of the loneliest jobs in the world. The locals are looking for a hermit, who is expected to live in a hut in the mountains without any modern facilities.
The person who will be chosen for this position will have no access to electricity, heating, internet or even a salary.

The applications are being received by a local priest, Alois Moser. Several applicants have already demonstrated their interest in the vacancy.

 

[dkotschessaa]

Today I learned what might be the loneliest job in the world.

https://sputniknews.com/art_living/201702021050289083-austrian-town-loneliest-job/

Sometimes I think that sounds lovely. I'm not sure how long I'd make it in practice though.

-Dave K

 

[OmCheeto]

Sometimes I think that sounds lovely. I'm not sure how long I'd make it in practice though.

-Dave K

Current temperature in Saalfelden, Austria: 34°F
Current temperature in Tampa, Florida: 78°F

Crawl into your refrigerator, and see how long you last.

ps.
Current temperature inside my refrigerator: 37.4°F
Current temperature outside my house: 36°F (wind consistent at around 38 mph. Sorry, but I don't know the equation for wind chill, off the top of my head.)
Nominal OmCheeto refrigerator temperature: 32.5°F (we're doing refrigerator experiments)

 

[fresh_42]

Sometimes I think that sounds lovely. I'm not sure how long I'd make it in practice though.

-Dave K

The last one made it a year. Priest and therapist. He returned to Vienna.

Btw.: deadline is 2/20

 

[dkotschessaa]

Current temperature in Saalfelden, Austria: 34°F
Current temperature in Tampa, Florida: 78°F

Crawl into your refrigerator, and see how long you last.

Only because my wife would find me!

 

[mfb]

The "mission" is just from April to October/November. Temperature should be fine.
Not sure how you get water and food there.

 

[Buzz Bloom]

TIL (finally after almost two years of making errors and correcting my errors) the technically correct form of the matter term in Friedmann's equation.

It all started with

https://www.physicsforums.com/threads/how-does-a-particles-kinetic-energy-vary-with-a-t.811627/ .​

It is well known that this form is wrong for sufficiently small values of a for which matter particles become relativistic. For that case, matter particles behave gravitationally approximately like photons, so the term would be approximately

(1) Ω_M a^-4 .​

The form that is correct for the full range of values for a is:

(2) Ω_M a^-3 × √[ 1 + Q² × (a^-2 - 1) ]​

where Q = v/c, where v is the average speed of the particles for a=1. It should be clear that for very small values of a, Q will become close to 1, and (2) will be approximated by (1).

I plan to start a new thread soon to hopefully get someone here at PF to check my math, and to discuss some implications.

 

[BillTre]

http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/02/trump-administration-blacks-out-animal-welfare-information?utm_campaign=news_daily_2017-02-06&et_rid=33537079&et_cid=1147411:
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) said in a statement that it revoked public access to the reports “based on our commitment to being transparent … and maintaining the privacy rights of individuals.”

... Inspection reports contain little, if any, personal information about individuals.

 

[Enanimate]

Today i learned that infinite data compression is possible

 

[fresh_42]

Today i learned that infinite data compression is possible

... or as I call it: the WOM.

 

[Enanimate]

... or as I call it: the WOM.

It's actually really simple

 

[jim hardy]

... or as I call it: the WOM.

years before Microsoft achieved it with software,
http://www4.vmi.edu/faculty/squirejc/Research/IC_Datasheets/digital_cmos/Write Only Memory.pdf

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

I have learned something important from the discussion about the Doomsday Clock. I learned that I think more clearly and communicate better when I avoid satire, sarcasm, hyperbole, metaphor, simile, and figures of speech in general. I must also avoid humor, because I am not very good at it, and people usually take me seriously even when I am trying to be funny. I need to clear my thinking of the many literary techniques I learned in high school, and from the bad influence of comedy in TV and movies.

From now on my rule is to say what I mean as clearly as I can, knowing that even then, I could fail to make my meaning clear to some. Also, I will avoid Utopian scenarios.

For example, in an earlier post I came up with a purely fanciful scenario about Germany developing a "green weapon" that could immediately neutralize all nuclear weapons. I hope people realized it was a sort of "modest proposal" inspired by Swift. But if they did not, I blame myself.

In an earlier scenario, I suggested the USA and Russia team up to force global nuclear disarmament. Even if this is technically possible, it is politically Utopian.

"Nothing unreal exists" (First rule of Vulcan metaphysics.)

 

[dkotschessaa]

I have learned something important from the discussion about the Doomsday Clock. I learned that I think more clearly and communicate better when I avoid satire, sarcasm, hyperbole, metaphor, simile, and figures of speech in general. I must also avoid humor, because I am not very good at it, and people usually take me seriously even when I am trying to be funny. I need to clear my thinking of the many literary techniques I learned in high school, and from the bad influence of comedy in TV and movies.

I've found this helpful for online argumentation, when I can get myself to comply...https://www.brainpickings.org/2014/03/28/daniel-dennett-rapoport-rules-criticism/

 

[Buzz Bloom]

"Nothing unreal exists" (First rule of Vulcan metaphysics.)

Hi @David Reeves:

You may like the book I am currently reading and enjoying greatly.

Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.​

Here is an abbreviated quote from pp 113-116.

Three main factors prevent people from realising that the order organizing their lives exists only in their imagination.
a. The imagined order is embedded in the material world.
. . .
b. The imagined order shapes our desires.
. . .
c: The imagined order is inter-subjective.
. . .​

From my perspective the book makes very clear that a great deal of what almost everyone believes exists is unreal. Of course his meaning for "real" and exists" may differ somewhat from yours.

Regards,
Buzz

 

[Aufbauwerk 2045]

Today I also learned that I really need to remember to edit my posts on PF in the text editor, before I publish them, so I don't need to edit after the post has been published.

 

[jtbell]

Today I learned (from a PBS documentary) that up to 20% of squirrels steal their nuts from other squirrels instead of foraging for them. They watch a nut being buried, then dig it up when they think the burier is gone. But if the burier catches them in the act... now I know why they chase each other so often!

 

[EnumaElish]

years before Microsoft achieved it with software,
http://www4.vmi.edu/faculty/squirejc/Research/IC_Datasheets/digital_cmos/Write Only Memory.pdf
View attachment 112839

WOM was "invented" as a spoof: http://www.catb.org/jargon/html/W/write-only-memory.html

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Write-only_memory_(joke)

http://www.sigwom.com/?page_id=17

But WOM has real applications: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Write-only_memory_(engineering)

 

[fresh_42]

Today I learned (from a PBS documentary) that up to 20% of squirrels steal their nuts from other squirrels instead of foraging for them. They watch a nut being buried, then dig it up when they think the burier is gone. But if the burier catches them in the act... now I know why they chase each other so often!

I wonder if they learned to lie as well, as crows or chimps do, to fool the others.

 

[nsaspook]

Why UPS trucks never turn left.

 

[dkotschessaa]

Why UPS trucks never turn left.

I hate turning left, especially on certain Florida roads. I always wondered if they could make a "no left turns" option on a GPS.

Because two wrongs don't make a right, but three rights make a left.

 

[Buzz Bloom]

Why UPS trucks never turn left.

Hi nsaspook:

Over the many years I have been driving I have had a few accidents, and almost all of them have involved either me of another car making a left turn.

Regards,
Buzz

 

[jtbell]

I hate turning left, especially on certain Florida roads. [...] three rights make a left.

Try using that trick to turn left from Las Olas Blvd. onto Route A1A in Fort Lauderdale.

Of course, here you don't have to deal with opposing traffic, except for pedestrians.

 

[EnumaElish]

... or as I call it: the WOM.

Apparently as of today there's a 26-day backlog on WOM drives as multiple items have been ordered for each federal agency.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Today I learned what the lyrics to "Waltzing Matilda" mean.

 

[jtbell]

Today I learned about NASA's Space Poop Challenge:

http://www.cnn.com/2017/02/16/tech/nasa-space-poop-challenge-winner-announced-trnd/index.html

https://herox.com/SpacePoop

Apparently the winning idea is to put a little airlock in the space suit's crotch.

 

[NascentOxygen]

TIL of an attractant more alluring to mosquitoes than is carbon dioxide, and that's Limburger Cheese. Mosquitoes like it so much that it will even divert them from nearby human targets. http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-extremely-gross-reason-why-limburger-cheese-attract-1678436752

Apparently this pungent cheese reminds mozzies of plump, sweaty, exposed human feet—an ideal source for the blood they are seeking. (Well, the females are, anyway.)

Limburger inherits its characteristic foot odour from the bacteria residing between the toes of monks who during their cheese-making process traditionally pressed it with their feet.

I note that the connection between Limburger cheese and mosquitoes has been previously mentioned on PF.

 

[Jonathan Scott]

TIL that the "traditional" gift in the UK (according to someone trying to sell them, I guess) for 23rd Wedding Anniversary is silver plate. Perhaps I'll find it easier to remember the date next year, when it's musical instruments.

 

[fresh_42]

TIL that the "traditional" gift in the UK (according to someone trying to sell them, I guess) for 23rd Wedding Anniversary is silver plate. Perhaps I'll find it easier to remember the date next year, when it's musical instruments.

How about a western concert flute made of silver

 

[Jonathan Scott]

How about a western concert flute made of silver

Already have a silver-plated flute, thanks (Trevor James TJ 10x) otherwise that might have done for 23rd and 24th combined.

 

[dkotschessaa]

Today I learned the... Canadian Donut Law?

I was working on some documentation for a Point of Sale device and there was an option to "enable Canadian Donut Law." The only resource that actually helped was the register documentation. Apparently there is something in Canada where certain prepared food items are taxable unless you buy a certain amount. So buying one donut to satisfy your sweet tooth is taxable, but buying a dozen to... feed your family? Nope, no tax for you brother.

I think this is perhaps a name that is used to cover a more broad law, but I don't know what it would be called.

-Dave K

 

[fresh_42]

Today I learned the... Canadian Donut Law?

I was working on some documentation for a Point of Sale device and there was an option to "enable Canadian Donut Law." The only resource that actually helped was the register documentation. Apparently there is something in Canada where certain prepared food items are taxable unless you buy a certain amount. So buying one donut to satisfy your sweet tooth is taxable, but buying a dozen to... feed your family? Nope, no tax for you brother.

I think this is perhaps a name that is used to cover a more broad law, but I don't know what it would be called.

-Dave K

Does this tax add to VAT or does it replace it?

 

[dkotschessaa]

Does this tax add to VAT or does it replace it?

I didn't know what VAT was until you asked me.

(Today I learned that that it stands for Value Added Tax).

So I don't know. Maybe I'll learn tomorrow!

 

[EnumaElish]

TIL about the so-called "minimum wage premium" "shaming notice" printed on customer bills by certain WA-state retailers (restaurant, hotel owners).

 

[Buzz Bloom]

"minimum wage premium" "shaming notice"

Hi Enuma:

Can you explain this a bit more, or perhaps provide a link to more information?

Regards,
Buzz

 

[EnumaElish]

Hi Enuma:

Can you explain this a bit more, or perhaps provide a link to more information?

Regards,
Buzz

Here it is: https://civicskunk.works/what-to-do...e-charge-on-your-bill-2183699e4186#.t71mgcp54

 

[Ibix]

Today I learned a practical effect of Bernoulli's principle: if there is a 45mph wind blowing along a street, it is difficult to open a door inwards.

 

[levadny]

TIL I write report of my practice on math madeling use Java lang. Second course of magistracy in institute.

 

[jim hardy]

I'm doing a little concrete job outside...

TIL something about cement:
NEVER NEVER EVER mix "Dap Webpatch 90 Leveling Compound " and "Level Quick Latex Primer " with concrete mix.

I had some of the above floor levelling cement and a part-bottle of the adhesion enhancing latex primer that goes with it left over from when i fixed a low spot in the hallway floor last year. (That worked out great, laminate floor i put over it is solid and no squeaks.)
Just to get rid of the leftovers i tossed them in the mixer behind an 80 lb bag of Quickrete. It's all masonry stuff, right?
I started the mixer then walked away to level the batch i'd just poured.
That took less than five minutes, about right time for the mixer to finish up without my usual "mother hen " worry wart hovering .
But
Little did i suspect that stuff makes concrete set up in about three minutes and you have to chisel it out of your cement mixer.

"Thank you, Lord, for this lesson. I guess. "

old jim

 

[COWilliam]

Today I learned that the hard part to building a Fission Reactor is not actually building one, or getting fissionable material, but finding a way to make it safe enough that you don't give yourself potentially harmful levels of radiation exposure.

 

[Buzz Bloom]

TIL about bumblebee intelligence.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/science/bumblebees-insect-brains-video.html?_r=0​

 

[Buzz Bloom]

TIL (yesterday actually) about the Earth's largest flower. The source is an article in March-April 2017 issue of Harvard Magazine from interviews with Harvard Botany Professor Charles Davis. The species is Rafflesia arnoldii. The following is another article I found on line about Rafflesia.

http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2013/11/stages-of-bloom/​

The R arnoldii flower is more than three feet across. It is also the strangest flower I have ever heard about. The flower is a parasite which infects certain vines and it has no roots. It's genome shows that the species has also many times adopted genes from the host plants it has had over time.