› added 4 years ago

59

TIL Field Marshal Gebhard Leberecht von Blücher, who played an important part in the Battle of Waterloo, and was instrumental in defeating Napoleon in 1814, suffered a mental breakdown during the war, lost his sight, and believed that a Frenchman had impregnated him with an elephant.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

jNZ6E TIL of the "Counting Coup", a war act originated by American Indians by which warriors would sneak up on enemy combatants, touch them on their body, and silently leave without being detected or causing harm. Escaping unharmed was considered a great prestige, especially if risking death or capture
R75nj TIL On July 16, 2186 there is predicted to be the longest solar eclipse during the current 10,000 year period, from 4000 BC to 6000 AC.
YMYW TIL: AN Irish Army once invaded Canada
7rgab TIL That in the 50s, CBS deemed the word "“pregnant,” too vulgar for air on I Love Lucy
VMjGG TIL an Australian man suffered a sudden and severe form of meningitis at age 29, resulting in a 420-day coma, brain damage, paralysis and later death. The meningitis was caused by a parasite that entered his body 8 years prior after he ate a slug for a dare.