What We Learned This Week

​Welcome to "What We Learned This Week," a regular feature where we share all the most interesting nuggets of information we picked up in the past week.

The Most Decorated Cat In Military History

Cats don't seem particularly well-suited for warfare. They're generally skittish, unfriendly and probably don't really care what side you're on when they claw your forearms raw. But they've accompanied soldiers and have been tasked with killing unwanted critters for more than nine millennia. Despite their lengthy service, just one cat has been awarded a medal for bravery in battle. His name was Simon.

The Sound So Loud It Circled The Earth Four Times

On August 27, 1883 the sound that emerged from the eruption of the volcanic island of Krakatoa was heard by people in over 50 different geographical locations, spanning an area that covered a thirteenth of the globe. Some of those people reported hearing the sound over 3,000 miles away, a full four hours after the sound was made. A ship's captain noted in his log "So violent are the explosions that the ear-drums of over half my crew have been shattered… I am convinced that the Day of Judgement has come."

How Bill Murray Went Missing During Letterman's First Episode

A few days prior to the premiere of "Late Night," Bill Murray walked into the writer's room and sent one of the interns out for tequila. The rest is late night history.

76 Of 79 Deceased NFL Players Found To Have Brain Disease

Here is your weekly reminder that the sport you love is absolutely horrid. Researchers have found that the donated brains of 76 of 79 former NFL players showed signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy or CTE. CTE occurs when repetitive head trauma begins to produce abnormal proteins in the brain, which interrupt the normal functions of nerves, eventually killing them. But yeah, sure, go ahead and yell with delight every time a defenseless receiver takes a shot to the head.

There's Now An App For Consensual Sex

This is what humanity has come to. Good2Go allows you and a potential partner to navigate a series of screens and prompts to decide if you can legally consent to have sex. Are you 18? Are you sober? Are you seriously using an app to decide if you should be having sex? It even has two-factor authentication. No longer is putting a condom on the least sexy and most frustrating pre-coital act possible.

What It's Like To Fly In A $23,000 Airline Suite

Singapore Airlines built a series of suites aboard their flagship Airbus A380. They have private cabins with sliding doors, interiors designed by a French luxury yacht designer, flat screen TVs, private bathrooms, and most insane of all, a double bed in the sky. All this can be yours for a mere $23,000. Derek Low cashed in every single one of his frequent flyer miles to book 18 hours in this flying palace and documented every moment.

Shaving Your Legs Makes You Way Faster On A Bike

Usually, when a cyclist is asked why they shave their legs, they stammer something along the lines of "It makes massages easier," or "It's easier to clean road rash when you fall," or "It's just part of the tradition of the sport," or "Stop pummeling me and I'll tell you." But now a team of engineers from bike manufacturing behemoth Specialized have made a remarkable discovery. Shaving your legs makes you faster. And not just a little bit faster, a full 15 watts faster at race pace. We may start shaving just to take a few seconds off our morning commute.

The Best Birth Control For Teens

Teens can't even remember to comb their hair in the mornings. You think they're going to remember to take a pill every single day? Nope. Doctors are now recommending that teens on birth control be given an intrauterine device, commonly referred to as an IUD. Condoms never hurt anyone either.

Mini-Pigs Are Causing A Big Problem

Thousands of people have been duped into buying what they thought were adorable, intelligent miniature pigs by unscrupulous dealers and breeders. Then they start growing. And growing. And growing. Thousands of these pigs end up in shelters and it's a massive problem. We think we have the solution though: Carnitas.

How Often You Should See A Dentist

We have, as of this moment, three unanswered voice mails from our dentist. He says he misses us. We do not miss him. So just how often should you be visiting this medieval torture specialist? Big Dental would like you to think that you should go every six months, but there's surprisingly little science to back this up.

What Getting A Tattoo Looks Like In Slow Motion

Even if you've never gone under the needle, you've probably wondered just how a tattoo gun works. Get up close and personal with the inking machine itself.

Your Car Doesn't Need A Tune-Up

The best way to inform your local car mechanic that you are a person of very little intelligence willing to spend money you don't have to spend on your car is by pulling in and asking for a tune-up. If your car is less than 15 years old, it's fine. Oh, wait, unless it's one of the 37 million cars driving around in the U.S. that have been recalled. In that case, you should take it to your dealer.

The Most-Ticketed Cars In America

The Subaru WRX is catnip for cops. A study by Insurance.com found that one-third of WRX owners reported receiving a ticket recently. We expect that if Insurance.com had asked, at least 90 percent of WRX owners would have also reported fantasizing about gold rims.

What It's Like Being Part Of The Most Hated Family In America

The Zimmerman family has been living life on the run since George shot and killed Trayvon Martin more than two years ago. But when they're not hiding out, they're looking to cash in. And they are always, always armed to the teeth.

The Long And Distinguished History Of Unwelcome White House Visitors

The director of the Secret Service resigned this week after a fence jumper made it as far as the East Room of the White House. He wasn't the first. In fact, there is a long, strange history of people sneaking into the "people's house." A pilot crashed a Cessna into the place one time after a crack binge. FDR flipped on the lights at the end of the movie to find a stranger watching it alongside him. Herbert Hoover came downstairs for dinner to find a stranger in the Blue Room who told him he was just a sightseer. But our personal favorite story is the time an Army private stole a helicopter, landed on the South Lawn, took off and then landed again after taking fire from the Secret Service.

10 Awesome Ways To Season A Steak

Happy weekend! Eat a steak. But not just a plain old boring steak. Spice it up a bit. And please don't cook it past medium-rare.