Coolest thing I’ve learned today (Nov 19)

While walking on the treadmill today, one question kept lingering in my mind and demanding an answer: what can I write about to record my daily life and actually benefit my readers?  I have a very scattered brain, and since I read every day, it feels meaningful to share a little collection of ideas and knowledge daily—they could be intriguing, fun and eclectic.  

Feel free to follow my Instagram (giannatann) or subscribe to my newsletter if you enjoy my curation:

1/ Intellectual functions with age

Young adults generally have a superior capacity for learning new information (especially when it requires quickly organizing details), while older adults are often equal or superior in retaining general knowledge and crystallized intelligence built over a lifetime.  

That said, never stop learning.

2/ My love for artichokes 

I love artichokes—they’re served in so many forms here (the fried ones are the absolute best), what a culinary delicacy.  The flavor is delicate, and to me it tastes a bit like walnut (especially when raw or lightly prepared).

I learned today that the younger buds are usually the most tender.

3/ Quote from Charles Dickens

“Take nothing on its looks; take everything on evidence. There’s no better rule.”  ( – Great Expectations)

4/ The Armada (Spanish Armada)

The Armada was the massive fleet sent by King Philip II of Spain in 1588 to invade England, coordinating with a Spanish army waiting in Flanders (modern-day Belgium area).  It ended in defeat, saving England from invasion and the Dutch Republic from extinction. The failure was a huge blow to Spain’s reputation as Europe’s greatest power.  

Yet the Armada action has lasting historical significance: it was the first major naval gun battle fought entirely under sail, and for the next two and a half centuries, the gun-armed sailing warship dominated the seas.

That’s all for today—goodnight!

The Spanish Armada.

HodagMedia—iStock/Thinkstock