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11 Things We Didn't Know Last Week

News, discoveries and ... fun

pelagornis-bird-bradford-bruce

1. The extinct pelagornis bird had a wingspan as wide as 24 feet.  (Learn more at International Business Times)

2. The Nazi's "perfect Aryan" poster child was Jewish. (Learn more at The Telegraph)



3. A computer chip that delivers a contraceptive hormone can be turned off when a woman wants to get pregnant. (Learn more at CNET)

chip-drug-delivery-cropped

4. Scientists know where an on-off switch for consciousness is located in the brain. (Learn more at New Scientist)

Brain cross section - Claustrum

>> Get travel discounts with your AARP Member Advantages.

5. New apps connect people who have leftover food and those who want it. (Learn more at  Washington Post)

Leftover food app

6. : - ) or :)? Whether or not your smiley face emoticons have a nose says a lot about you. (Learn more at The New Republic )

smilies emoticons

7. Your face can predict how long you'll live. (Learn more at AARP)

Face Closeup African American Smoker

8. New self-service machines at the Minnesota Twins' ballpark let fans draw as much beer as they want - at 38 to 40 cents an ounce. (Learn more at ESPN)

self-serve-beer-station

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9. When a chimp stomps both feet, it means "let's play." (Learn more at Huffington Post)

A chimpanzee with lovely feet

10. A blood test to predict Alzheimer's disease might be available within two years. (Learn more at AARP )

11. Pakistanis spend about 48 percent of their household cash on food; Japanese about 14 percent; and Americans about 7 percent. (Learn more at Vox)

How much countries spend on food

 

Bonus video: Do you wish you'd had a better seat for July 4th? Watch this drone's-eye-view of a Florida display:



 

Learn something this week? Mail your ideas to  11things@aarp.org, and we'll try to include your story next time.

On Twitter, we're using the hashtag   #11things

Let us read 11 Things to you:

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Images -  Pelagornis Bird: Liz Bradford/courtesy of Bruce Museum; Drug delivery microchip illustration: courtesy of MicroCHIPS/Lexington, Mass.  (cropped); Brain cross section: Adapted from Gray's Anatomy/Wikipedia; Piqniq app: courtesy of company website; Emoticons: AARP; Smoking man: David Robert Bliwas/Flickr; Beer machines: Courtesy Delaware North Sportservice/Target Field; Chimp: mycheesegrits/Flickr.

Music - Alex Beroza: Spinning - ccMixter

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