› added 10 years ago

61

TIL Union Army general John Sedgwick once said to his men under enemy fire: “Why are you dodging like this? They couldn’t hit an elephant at this distance.” He was shot dead instantly.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

W7gGo TIL the term "Siamese twins" comes from the twin conjoined brothers Chang and Eng Bunker who were born in Siam, now Thailand. When they first arrived in England to become circus exhibits, they were called “The Siamese Twins.”
xnkg TIL Ancient Babylonians were so serious about brewing beer that if anyone brewed a bad batch they would drown him in it as a punishment
4XMAa TIL A brass lion’s head gripping a large brass ring was the most quintessentially British doorknocker. The lion as the king of beasts has been a symbol not only of strength, valor, and power but of Great Britain itself for centuries.
5Yrv9 TIL in 1979 when the Skylab re-entry approached the San Francisco Examine offered $10,000 to the first person to deliver a piece to them within 72hrs knowing it wasn't heading toward the USA. A 17yr old Aussie collected a piece, jumped on a plane with no passport or luggage and collected his prize.
wLKx6 TIL the word "quack" comes from the Dutch word "quacksalver", and originally referred to doctors and dentists who advocated mercury amalgam fillings. When mercury amalgams were invented in the 1800s most medical professionals rejected their use as too dangerous.