› added 11 years ago

118

TIL Peter the Great, enamored of Western ways, encouraged cleanshavenness among Russians by imposing a tax on beards. Noblemen paid 100 rubles a year for a medallion that served as a beard license.

Read more articles.chicagotribune.com

via reddit.com

R5MJQ TIL that in the 80s the famous computer scientist & futurist Ray Kurzweil, created the 1rst electronic music keyboard to replicate the sound of a grand piano and many other instruments.
9YP7M TIL BBC World Service carried out a poll in 19 different nations. Only 4 nations believed the US was doing more good than harm in the world (US, Nigeria, Kenya, and India). All European nations had an overwhelming negative opinion of the US. The worst was Russia. Second was Spain.
mxyko TIL the Borussia Dortmund football bombing was committed by a 28 year old short seller trying to manipulate the market
ned6G TIL: All men in the UK only got the vote in 1918
50Qk TIL Scientology ran a forced child labor camp in Austrailia