› added 4 years ago

42

TIL that prehistoric European often connected Oak trees to their respective lightning gods. Modern scientific evidence points to Oak trees as being more likely to be struck by lightning.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

kJWL1 TIL About the Duck Who Became an Official Marine in World War II
QJ7ra TIL that a 500 page book contains only 0.53 calories
VVW4 TIL a Russian gangster spent 15 years building a personal wooden skyscraper - at 144 feet 13 stories, it was the tallest stick-frame house in the world until it was partially demolished then burned down in a fire
W8wN TIL Joseph Stalin ordered the development of a half man half ape, the creature would be resilient to to pain beyond a normal man and would not care about the quality of food given. When Stalins top scientist failed to do so, he had him executed.
R7Grl TIL On January 13, 1920, a New York Times editorial said rockets could never work in space because in a vacuum there was nothing for them to push against. The paper later said it regretted the error.