› added 4 years ago

63

TIL Ben Enwonwu was one of the first African artists to win critical acclaim, having exhibited in Europe and the US. During her visit to Nigeria in 1956, Queen Elizabeth II commissioned and sat for a portrait sculpture by Enwonwu and a crater on Mercury is named in his honour

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

R8n4 TIL when Byzantine emperor Justinian II was usurped, his nose was cut off to prevent him from seeking the throne and sent to Crimea in exile. He returned to Constantinople 10 years later with a Bulgar army and a golden nose to retake his throne
1amWV TIL the United States is only ranked as the 25th most democratic country in the world, and is classified as a 'Flawed Democracy.'
KYEDE TIL that low magnesium can cause both severe mental and physical side effects
x6paB TIL that Homer’s Iliad ends with Hector’s funeral. This means that the Trojan Horse and Achilles’ death aren’t from the Iliad.
5YYVR TIL that in 1966, when asked by a Senate subcommittee member about the dangers of LSD, Timothy Leary stated: “Sir, the motor car is dangerous if used improperly…Human stupidity and ignorance is the only danger human beings face in this world.” The Senator he was replying to was Ted Kennedy.