11 Things We Didn't Know Last Week

News, discoveries and ... fun

1. The words "knavery," "rapscallion," "flapdoodle" and " caterwaul" are in danger of extinction. (Learn more at UPI)

2. Despite New Year's resolutions, Americans double their purchases of food calories in January compared to the holidays. (Learn more at the Los Angeles Times)

3. It's true. Keeping warm can help ward off a common cold. (Learn more at Yale Univ. via Futurity)

4. Banana bread slipped into first place in online searches for recipes in 2014. (Learn more at AARP)

5. Random mutations account for two-thirds of cancers. (Learn more at Science Recorder)

6. Meryl Streep has a crush on Will Ferrell. (Learn more at W)

7. When you exercise, milk can rehydrate your body more efficiently than a specialized sports drink. (Learn more at Time magazine)

8. Drinking water made from human waste tastes great. (Learn more at The Independent)

>> Get entertainment and dining discounts with your AARP Member Advantages.

9. At age 30, Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-N.Y.) is the youngest woman ever to serve in the House of Representatives. (Learn more at New York Post)

10. Sports programs are breaking new ground in online streaming. (Learn more at the Washington Post)

11. The crowd-funding site Kickstarter raised more than half a billion dollars in pledges in 2014. (Learn more at Mashable)

 

 

Bonus video: Bao Bao the baby panda enjoys her first snow day:

Let us read 11 Things We Didn’t Know Last Week to you:

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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 .

Images — Crying baby: lenm/iStock plus AARP; Grocery store: danielvfung/iStock; Bundled up person: Luigi Marshall/Flickr; Banana bread: Jackie Newgent/Flickr; Meryl Streep via W magazine link; Elise Stefanik via Twitter; Kickstarter logo via Kickstarter

Music – Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra plays Jimmie Lunceford and his Orchestra – Blue Blazes by Sy Oliver, Creative Commons, courtesy of Smithsonian Remix project.

Also of Interest

• Crows Nearly As Smart As Humans — Other News We Didn't Know Last Week
• 6 Foods That May Lower Your Risk of Dementia
• Get Involved: Learn How You Can Give Back
• Join AARP: Savings, resources and news for your well-being

See the  AARP home page for deals, savings tips, trivia and more.