› added 5 years ago

106

TIL the Rod of Asclepius, a snake winding around a stick and international symbol of medicine, represents the treatment for the bloodworm Dracunculus. This worm travels through the blood and eats its way to the skin: treatment involves wrapping the worm around a wooden stick and pulling it out.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

YdDr TIL that during World War II, the British Government covered the Taj Mahal with Bamboo scaffoldings to protect it from German Bombers. This was done again during 1965 and 1971, when India were involved in conflicts with Pakistan.
mxEgR TIL that the creator of Rocko’s Modern Life, Joe Murray, was asked by executives to put a female role model in the show. After some back and forth, a female executive requested “"a professional woman, someone with a good hook.". So, Murray created Dr Hutchinson, a female doctor with a literal hook.
N7lLM TIL - The country of Vanuatu has an underwater post office. It is located "50m offshore" and is 3m below the surface. The post office even has a special cancellation stamp that can be used underwater!
4PWJ TIL that “to train each Apache pilot from scratch cost £3 million. It took six months just to learn how to fly it, another six to know how to fight in it, and a final six to be passed combat ready. And that was if you were already a fully qualified, combat-trained army helicopter pilot.”
jM0R TIL that the Japanese bombed Oregon in 1942 by ferrying a plane underwater via submarine to the U.S. coast. The plane launched from the sub to drop incendiary bombs on Mount Emily, becoming the first ever bombing of the continental U.S.