› added 5 years ago

138

TIL that Roman gladiator fights were officiated by referees, and that one gladiator who died in combat even blamed the referee for his death on his tombstone, with the epitaph "Fate and the cunning treachery of [the referee] killed me."

Read more telegraph.co.uk

via reddit.com

J11Dm TIL that New Hampshire is the only state with no adult seatbelt laws. Seatbelts are only required for minors ages 17 and under in that state. According to 2017 data from the U.S. Department of Transportation, it also had the lowest percentage of seatbelt useage among the 50 states, at just 67.6%.
nWa4G TIL that a money raising attempt by former Mexican President and General Santa Anna (responsible for losing the Texas Revolution) led to the invention of chewing gum in the United States.
GY1Nj TIL that 35% of British adults sleep with a stuffed bear toy.
5VMWk TIL Ferdinand Verbiest created the first vehicle which moved under its own power in 1672 as an amusement for the Chinese Emperor Kangxi. The steam vehicle was 2 ft in length and built like a five-wheeled cart-like trolley
60DQ TIL it is illegal for a wife to take her husband’s name in Quebec, Canada.