Learning from the Internet

[New Frontiersman]

One of the most interesting things I've learned while spending time on the internet, although I can't remember where I read it, is that roaches breathe through their skin; and thus poring soapy water on them clogs their pores and causes them to suffocate. Something I put to good use not five minutes ago when I killed a roach by slinging a mixture of water and dish soap at it.

So what sorts of interesting things have you learned by spending time on the internet? And how have you put those things to use?
It can be video game related if you want, but it doesn't have to be.

 

[Lieju]

One of the most interesting things I've learned while spending time on the internet, although I can't remember where I read it, is that roaches breathe through their skin; and thus poring soapy water on them clogs their pores and causes them to suffocate.

Roaches, like other insects breath through spiracles, basically they have holes (I think two on each body segment).
I don't know if I'd call that breathing through skin, definitely not through pores.

Out of curiosity, how fast did it die?

 

[New Frontiersman]

One of the most interesting things I've learned while spending time on the internet, although I can't remember where I read it, is that roaches breathe through their skin; and thus poring soapy water on them clogs their pores and causes them to suffocate.

Roaches, like other insects breath through spiracles, basically they have holes (I think two on each body segment).
I don't know if I'd call that breathing through skin, definitely not through pores.

Out of curiosity, how fast did it die?

Well whatever, holes, pores, it doesn't breathe through it's mouth is the point.
...Thank you though. I guess I had either read or remembered it wrong, so it's nice to have someone clear up that misconception on my part.

It died in maybe... three, four minutes? I splashed it a couple of times so it's hard to be completely sure.

 

[hiphop8004]

There's a bridge in London that's falling down

well actually there are dogs that are falling down from said bridge, but they're falling to their deaths by their own choice as if they're committing suicide. [sorry if I used the wrong their]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ysvn2JDzVw8

might not have learned anything but still interesting and time wasting

 

[Guffe]

I learned all kind of stuff since you know...
having to do school assignments usually include surfing the web just besides using books
So yeah, everything from Australia, human anatomy to History
Then of course the amount of BS info that you don't need to know but is some fun to know stuff...

 

[Bertylicious]

I learned he word "slang" is slang for "shortened language".

My mind asploded.

 

[Mikkel421427]

I learned lots and lots and lots of random stuff. Mainly from watching QI on YouTube. Thank you, Stephen Fry!

 

[Buzz Killington_v1legacy]

I learned he word "slang" is slang for "shortened language".

You've got yourself a folk etymology there. No one's really sure of the precise origins [http://etymonline.com/?term=slang] of "slang", but it first appears in roughly the mid-eighteenth century. The sort of acronym-like compression of words you're talking about doesn't really show up in force until the early twentieth century.

 

[Bertylicious]

I learned he word "slang" is slang for "shortened language".

You've got yourself a folk etymology there. No one's really sure of the precise origins [http://etymonline.com/?term=slang] of "slang", but it first appears in roughly the mid-eighteenth century. The sort of acronym-like compression of words you're talking about doesn't really show up in force until the early twentieth century.

Goddamnit, once again I find a compelling and pithy factoid only to have actual knowledge come along and prove, once again, that there are no easy or definitive answers and much of reality is made of lumpy, grey, unknowable quantities.

Thanks again Obama!

 

[Colour Scientist]

I've learned so many things from the internet, unfortunately, I wish I hadn't learned most of them.

 

[Zen Bard]

The Interwebs have taught me that trolls are real, they live in the "Comments" section and they have really poor grammar and typing skills.

 

[Shocksplicer]

I learned lots and lots and lots of random stuff. Mainly from watching QI on YouTube. Thank you, Stephen Fry!

Just so you know, QI is wrong or misleading often enough that you definitely shouldn't go repeating the things Stephen tells you without first double checking that it's correct.

 

[CpT_x_Killsteal]

I've learned that Americans use the word "coon" as offensive racial slang for black people.
Here in Australia it was meant to be a put down for a white person. That or cheese.

But I suppose I've learnt a vast majority of the things I know from the internet, that just being one of them.

One of the most interesting things I've learned while spending time on the internet, although I can't remember where I read it, is that roaches breathe through their skin; and thus poring soapy water on them clogs their pores and causes them to suffocate. Something I put to good use not five minutes ago when I killed a roach by slinging a mixture of water and dish soap at it.

Seriously? I'm going to put that use right now then and add this to my list! Thanks!

 

[purplecactus]

That cockroach thing is going to have me twitching and itching for hours now...

I've learned so many things from the internet, unfortunately, I wish I hadn't learned most of them.

I think the above about sums up most things I've learned on the internet. That and a ton of useless stuff that will potentially never have any real life application.

And how to fix things. One useful thing, I guess...

 

[wintercoat]

Well, considering I've been spending a lot of time recently on the Numberphile [http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoxcjq-8xIDTYp3uz647V5A], Vi Hart [http://www.youtube.com/feed/UCOGeU-1Fig3rrDjhm9Zs_wg], sixtysymbols [http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvBqzzvUBLCs8Y7Axb-jZew], and SciShow [http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZYTClx2T1of7BRZ86-8fow] youtube channels, I've been learning a lot recently, especially on the topics of number theory, math, and physics, as well as general science-y things. Who knew youtube could be used for the forces of good?

 

[Sizzle Montyjing]

Stuff from vsauce, a lot of interesting stuff on Vice, some history stuff that came from one of those vlog-brother guys I think...
Oh, and accumulated time here has also taught me that all humans are terrible, terrible beings.

Interestingly enough, my spelling has got a lot worse, as well as grammar, punctuation etc etc. Thanks for that, Google Chrome spellcheck.

 

[Something Amyss]

I've learned fire can't melt steel, the Earth is flat and the gummint is using supermagnets to confuse us, and lizard people made us fake the moon landing.

Seriously though, I've learned so much from the net it's hard to keep track.

The Interwebs have taught me that trolls are real, they live in the "Comments" section and they have really poor grammar and typing skills.

Or feign them to appear stupid and lure people into complacency.

 

[Yopaz]

I've learned not to trust things I read on the internet.

Also that Unicorns used to live in North Korea.

 

[ShadowKatt]

Dear god, learning is probably my greatest passion in life. More than any subculture I'm involved in, more than any hobby I have, under all of it I'm only as involved because something peaked my interest and I dove in, head first, to learn all I could. So what have I learned from the internet? Enough to fill entire volumes. But I'll stick with just my most recent obsession: Music theory.

The thing that blew my mind is that the dual staff you see in music with the treble clef on top and the bass clef on the bottom share a common note. That common note is actually between them and is the C, known as the middle C. Because they're both part of the same "Grand Staff" and are only broken up by removing the middle staff line.

Mind = blown.