› added 12 years ago

164

TIL that in France in the 1500s, women could charge their husbands with impotence. He would have to become erect and show he could ejaculate in a courtroom. If he failed, he could demand a Trial by Congress and attempt to have sex with his wife in front of the experts.

Read more thesmartset.com

via reddit.com

vD8R TIL In 2007, in response to an increase in pedestrians wearing headphones being hit by cars, NY proposed making it illegal to cross the street with headphones. Australian State Traffic Commander, Chief Superintendent responded, “You can’t legislate stupidity” and Australia ran a warning-ad instead.
PXGg TIL about operation Vegetarian, a 1942 plan by the British military to drop linseed cakes infected with anthrax on German fields where they would be eaten by cows and thus infect the civilian population that ate them, the test site in Scotland remained uninhabitable until the 1990’s
R77oQ TIL that the Great Smog of London in 1952 was caused by using coal as the main source of heat and was responsible for the deaths of around 12,000 individuals.
LkwZ TIL that Gandhi wrote a letter to “every Briton” urging them to surrender to Hitler and “Let them take possession of your beautiful island, with your many beautiful buildings.”
E057 TIL Waylon Jennings was originally going to be on Buddy Holly’s ill fated flight. He backed out and Holly stated “Well, I hope your ol’ bus freezes up.” Jennings replied with “Well, I hope your ol’ plane crashes,” haunting Jennings for the rest of his life.