yV9ol TIL that the first cross-country road trip in American history was in 1903, cost $8,000, took 63 days, and included a bulldog wearing goggles.
m1b8E TIL Japan protect artisans and craft through a "Living National Treasures" programs, supporting apprentice training, vocational schools, and financial stability of artisans that preserve cultural heritage
DQkAP TIL there's a life-sized Jason Vorhees statue chained down at the bottom of a Minnesota lake
vPxRB TIL Dunkin' Donuts (dba Dunkin') was renamed from "Open Kettle" to "Dunkin' Donuts" in 1950. An architect working for the restaurant was inspired by the idea of dunking doughnuts into coffee. In 2018, the name was changed to Dunkin'.
J1oR8 TIL that Morse code was used as international standard for maritime distress and was later replaced by the Global Maritime Distress and Safety System. When the French Navy ceased using Morse code on 31/01/1997, the final message was "Calling all. This is our last call before our eternal silence."
pYjBe TIL the original Leo the Lion, the mascot for Hollywood’s Metro-Goldwyn movie studio, was Irish. Born in 1919 at the Dublin Zoo, he was named Cairbre, Irish for a mythical charioteer. Renamed Slats, he passed in 1936, and was buried under a pine tree at his trainer’s farm in New Jersey.
GAanQ TIL about "Shanghaiing", or crimping, the once common practice of kidnapping people to serve as sailors. The most successful "crimpers" could make $300,000+ in today's money. Despite technological advancements and multiple attempts at reform, it wasn't until 1915 that it was decisively outlawed.
1647V TIL that dense swarms of bees can generate atmospheric electric fields as strong as those in thunderstorms, created by the bees’ collective movement and wing flapping.
oR0vr TIL that Carl Sagan’s team wanted to include Here Comes The Sun by the Beatles on the Voyager Golden Records that were intended to portray the diversity of human life and culture to potential extraterrestrial discoverers, but the record company EMI wanted $100,000, far in excess of the budget.
dDg4Z TIL Disney moved to LA over Ne York because his brother was recovering from tuberculosis there
KY1XE TIL that bees are able to detect electrical fields via their hairs and antennae. This is important when they forage for flowers. This is disrupted by man-made electrical fields, such as those created by power lines
a8b0A TIL In Jainism it is taught that the first Tirthankara (Savior and supreme teacher of the faith) was born 10^224 years ago.