› added 11 years ago

88

TIL that a decree promulgated on November 12, 1787, by Holy Roman Emperor Joseph II ordered all Jews in the Hapsburg Empire to acquire family names.

Read more jewishcurrents.org

via reddit.com

QJK8X TIL that Arkansas and Kansas are derived from similarly named Native American tribes, but Arkansas took the French spelling while Kansas used the English spelling. The "s" at the end of French words is usually silent. This is why the two almost identical words are pronounced differently.
NKb6 TIL All The American Flags on The Moon are Now White Because of The Intense UV Radiation From The Unfiltered Sunlight
L0Dd TIL neurologist Oliver Sacks wrote about a man who after a night involving amphetamines, cocaine and PCP awoke with a extremely heightened sense of smell. Sacks revealed years later that it was in fact himself.
a0Py TIL Despite being started in 1630, Kikkoman (soy sauce) is only the 28th oldest family owned business.
YkvB TIL Japan cannot declare war, as it is against their constitution. They are also not allowed to maintain armed forces with war potential.