Posted on Apr 10, 2021

24 Things I Learned This Week That Left Me In Complete And Total Disbelief

The deepest shipwreck ever discovered is four miles below the surface of the Philippine Sea 😧

by Andrew Ziegler

BuzzFeed Editor

1. The Titanic's grand staircase was painstakingly recreated for — and featured prominently in — the movie Titanic. Here's what the actual staircase looked like, and here's what it looks like today:

The grand staircase of Titanic before and after from submechanophobia

2. This is Baldwin Street and it's recognized by Guinness as being the steepest residential street on the planet:

A house on the world’s steepest street in Dunedin, NZ, when adjusted for angle. from interestingasfuck

3. This is what a section of the Las Vegas Strip looked like in 1955:

What is now the fully developed Las Vegas strip, 1955. [494 x 492] from HistoryPorn

4. In 1972, a plane carrying a Uruguayan rugby team to a match in Chile crashed high up in the Andes mountains. Of the plane's 45 passengers and crew, 33 would survive the crash but only 16 would make it off the mountain alive. They endured freezing cold temperatures and near-starvation for 72 straight days, and were forced to eat the bodies of those who had died in order to survive. In an interview with National Geographic, Dr. Roberto Canessa — one of the survivors who was 19 years old at the time — clarified, "Cannibalism is when you kill someone, so technically this is what is known as anthropophagy." The group struggled with the decision over whether or not to eat their fallen friends but ultimately it wasn't a choice at all; they likely would've starved otherwise:

Survivors of the Andes plane crash Flight 571 pictured outside of the plane, 1972 from HistoryFans

Prof. Paul Byrne @ThePlanetaryGuy

Clouds in the sky, gently passing overhead. On Mars, Friday, March 19, 2021.

10:02 PM - 20 Mar 2021
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Twitter: @ThePlanetaryGuy

6. And speaking of the Curiosity rover, this is how big it is:

The true size of the Curiosity rover from HumanForScale

7. At the height of the Civil War — and with nothing to lose, for he had no intention of being taken alive — Robert Smalls seized an opportunity to escape slavery by commandeering a Confederate ship that was armed for combat while its captain was away. To pull off this daring escape, he fooled not one but _two _Confederate checkpoints into believing he was the ship's captain by donning his wide-brimmed hat and mimicking his mannerisms. This act of bravery — and brilliance — earned him not only his freedom but also the freedom of 17 others (including 3 children). He would go on to become a state assemblyman and state senator in South Carolina, and serve in the US House of Representatives:

Robert Smalls was born into slavery. In 1862 he freed himself, his crew, and their families during the American Civil War by commandeering a Confederate transport ship. He went on to become American politician, publisher, businessman, and naval pilot. from nextfuckinglevel

8. This photo, which is believed to be the earliest photo of the Taj Mahal, was actually taken sometime between 1858 and 1862:

The earliest known photo of the Taj Mahal. Circa 1855 [3,518 × 3,000]. from HistoryPorn

Natalie Anderson PhD, RN @CerebralNurse

Your Twitter feed needs these photos of a ruru (morepork) getting an antibacterial shampoo & blowdry at Wildbase Recovery Centre. This is why you don't see owls fly in the rain 😂 #NotWaterProof #Morepork #Ruru #BirdWatching

11:22 PM - 31 Mar 2021
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Twitter: @CerebralNurse

11. The captain of the USS Johnston was a Cmdr. Ernest E. Evans, who bravely sacrificed the ship as well as his life and the lives of his crewmen by charging into enemy territory and drawing fire so that American landing forces could retake the Philippines. For this selfless act, Evans became the first Native American to win the Medal of Honor. Here's a photo of the captain and his crew:

Commander Ernest E. Evans addresses the crew of the USS Johnston during her commissioning 10/27/43. 363 days later she finally succumb to the sea at Samar after valiantly doing battle with IJN Yamato and the Japanese fleet. from WorldWar2

12. CGI has come a longggg way in the last 26 years:

CGI difference between Toy Story (1995) and Toy Story 4 (2019) from interestingasfuck

14. This is Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, right before he died in 2018 at the age of 45. Now there are only two left: Najin and her daughter Fatu. When they're gone, this species that has existed for millions of years will no longer walk the earth:

Saying goodbye to a species, the very last male Northern White Rhino. A powerful photo of 2018. from interestingasfuck

15. This is Ha'a Keaulana, a third-generation surfing legend. She's the daughter of Brian Keaulana and the granddaughter of the great Buffalo Keaulana — surfing royalty in Hawaii. Here's a photo of her training:

Hawaiian Surfer training for large waves by carrying a 50lb stone underwater. from interestingasfuck

16. This is the harpy eagle, one of the most formidable raptor species still in existence in terms of size and strength. Their sharp talons are equal to a grizzly bear's in size, which are perfect for plucking sloths out of trees and baby deer off the ground:

The welcoming gaze of the mother Harpy Eagle, the greatest powerhouse amongst the surviving eagles. from natureismetal

17. And here are some scraps that were found in one of their nests:

Found in a harpy eagle's nest from natureismetal

19. James Harrison discovered at a young age that his blood contains a rare antibody that helps fight a disease that can be fatal to newborns, so he donated blood every week for 60 years. The Australian Red Cross Blood Service estimated that his donations have saved the lives of 2.4 million babies in Australia:

James Harrison from Damnthatsinteresting

20. This caterpillar, which is able to ward off predators by displaying markings that resemble a row of teeth below two large eyes, will ultimately become a pink underwing moth. It's lucky to have this added layer of protection as its currently an endangered species:

This caterpillar that looks like predator from WTF

21. Gaius Caesar, better known by his nickname Caligula (which means "little boots"), was a Roman emperor whom many believed would be a merciful and moderate leader compared to some of the tyrants who ruled before him — and sources say he was precisely that for the first six months of his reign. But then, very suddenly, he became gravely ill and this unknown illness would change him forever in strange and consequential ways. He would go on to be remembered for his murderous cruelty and his god complex, and he was eventually assassinated after a mere five years as emperor. This sapphire ring is believed to have belonged to him:

Wonderful 2000 years-old sapphire ring presumably belonged to Roman emperor Caligula, thought depicting his fourth wife Caesonia. [1916x1384] from ArtefactPorn

22. The Battle of Trafalgar was a great naval battle between Napoleon's France and Great Britain. Spain joined the battle as an ally of France and this is one of the flags flown on their ships:

The size of this flag flown on a spanish ship at the battle of Trafalgar (1805) from interestingasfuck

23. This volcanic eruption in Geldingadalir, Iceland, is expected to last for quite some time; in fact, two new fissures opened up this week, causing lava to ooze from the earth in three separate locations. Fortunately, these eruptions don't post a threat to Reykjavík, though it is drawing plenty of tourists:

The volcanic eruption that could last for years, Geldingadalir, Iceland [OC][3830x2553] from EarthPorn

You can watch a 24-hour livestream of the eruption here.

24. Despite repeatedly rising from the ocean and destroying Tokyo, which resulted in a contentious relationship between the two, Godzilla and the nation of Japan finally reconciled their differences in 2015 when Godzilla was officially declared a Japanese citizen:

In 2015, Godzilla became an official Japanese citizen and was also employed as a tourism ambassador of japan. from interestingasfuck

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24 Things I Learned This Week That Left Me In Complete And Total Disbelief

1. The Titanic's grand staircase was painstakingly recreated for — and featured prominently in — the movie Titanic. Here's what the actual staircase looked like, and here's what it looks like today:

2. This is Baldwin Street and it's recognized by Guinness as being the steepest residential street on the planet:

3. This is what a section of the Las Vegas Strip looked like in 1955:

5. The Curiosity rover captured some clouds on Mars last month:

6. And speaking of the Curiosity rover, this is how big it is:

8. This photo, which is believed to be the earliest photo of the Taj Mahal, was actually taken sometime between 1858 and 1862:

9. Unlike other bird species, owls aren't really built to withstand lots of moisture:

10. The USS Johnston — a US Navy destroyer that was lost in combat during World War II — was recently rediscovered at a depth of 21,000 feet (6400.8 meters) in the Philippine Sea, which is equivalent to four miles (!!), making it the deepest shipwreck ever recorded:

12. CGI has come a longggg way in the last 26 years:

13. Fossil records show that magnolia trees — many of which are in bloom right now — are at least 60 million years old. They're so ancient, in fact, that their flowers evolved to be pollinated by beetles and flies because bees, butterflies, and moths hadn't existed yet:

14. This is Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, right before he died in 2018 at the age of 45. Now there are only two left: Najin and her daughter Fatu. When they're gone, this species that has existed for millions of years will no longer walk the earth:

15. This is Ha'a Keaulana, a third-generation surfing legend. She's the daughter of Brian Keaulana and the granddaughter of the great Buffalo Keaulana — surfing royalty in Hawaii. Here's a photo of her training:

16. This is the harpy eagle, one of the most formidable raptor species still in existence in terms of size and strength. Their sharp talons are equal to a grizzly bear's in size, which are perfect for plucking sloths out of trees and baby deer off the ground:

17. And here are some scraps that were found in one of their nests:

18. This amazing photo depicts a 162-year-old portrait of a Civil War soldier in stunning HD. It was restored and colored by Adam "A.B." Cannon, a photo restoration and enhancement specialist based in Illinois:

20. This caterpillar, which is able to ward off predators by displaying markings that resemble a row of teeth below two large eyes, will ultimately become a pink underwing moth. It's lucky to have this added layer of protection as its currently an endangered species:

22. The Battle of Trafalgar was a great naval battle between Napoleon's France and Great Britain. Spain joined the battle as an ally of France and this is one of the flags flown on their ships:

And last but certainly not least...

24. Despite repeatedly rising from the ocean and destroying Tokyo, which resulted in a contentious relationship between the two, Godzilla and the nation of Japan finally reconciled their differences in 2015 when Godzilla was officially declared a Japanese citizen:

Want to see what I learned last week? Click here to find out. And click HERE to see what I learned in March.

24 Things I Learned This Week That Left Me In Complete And Total Disbelief

1. The Titanic's grand staircase was painstakingly recreated for — and featured prominently in — the movie Titanic. Here's what the actual staircase looked like, and here's what it looks like today:

2. This is Baldwin Street and it's recognized by Guinness as being the steepest residential street on the planet:

3. This is what a section of the Las Vegas Strip looked like in 1955:

5. The Curiosity rover captured some clouds on Mars last month:

6. And speaking of the Curiosity rover, this is how big it is:

8. This photo, which is believed to be the earliest photo of the Taj Mahal, was actually taken sometime between 1858 and 1862:

9. Unlike other bird species, owls aren't really built to withstand lots of moisture:

10. The USS Johnston — a US Navy destroyer that was lost in combat during World War II — was recently rediscovered at a depth of 21,000 feet (6400.8 meters) in the Philippine Sea, which is equivalent to four miles (!!), making it the deepest shipwreck ever recorded:

12. CGI has come a longggg way in the last 26 years:

13. Fossil records show that magnolia trees — many of which are in bloom right now — are at least 60 million years old. They're so ancient, in fact, that their flowers evolved to be pollinated by beetles and flies because bees, butterflies, and moths hadn't existed yet:

14. This is Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, right before he died in 2018 at the age of 45. Now there are only two left: Najin and her daughter Fatu. When they're gone, this species that has existed for millions of years will no longer walk the earth:

15. This is Ha'a Keaulana, a third-generation surfing legend. She's the daughter of Brian Keaulana and the granddaughter of the great Buffalo Keaulana — surfing royalty in Hawaii. Here's a photo of her training:

16. This is the harpy eagle, one of the most formidable raptor species still in existence in terms of size and strength. Their sharp talons are equal to a grizzly bear's in size, which are perfect for plucking sloths out of trees and baby deer off the ground:

17. And here are some scraps that were found in one of their nests:

18. This amazing photo depicts a 162-year-old portrait of a Civil War soldier in stunning HD. It was restored and colored by Adam "A.B." Cannon, a photo restoration and enhancement specialist based in Illinois:

20. This caterpillar, which is able to ward off predators by displaying markings that resemble a row of teeth below two large eyes, will ultimately become a pink underwing moth. It's lucky to have this added layer of protection as its currently an endangered species:

22. The Battle of Trafalgar was a great naval battle between Napoleon's France and Great Britain. Spain joined the battle as an ally of France and this is one of the flags flown on their ships:

And last but certainly not least...

24. Despite repeatedly rising from the ocean and destroying Tokyo, which resulted in a contentious relationship between the two, Godzilla and the nation of Japan finally reconciled their differences in 2015 when Godzilla was officially declared a Japanese citizen:

Want to see what I learned last week? Click here to find out. And click HERE to see what I learned in March.

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