› added 11 years ago

218

TIL that as many as 20% of women in 18th century London worked as prostitutes

Read more economist.com

via reddit.com

4DRa TIL there is a parasite which breeds inside the guts of a cat. Their offspring are deposited in droppings and can then be eaten by rats. The offspring then affect the rats’ behaviour to make them less scared, and even sexually aroused, by cats, with the aim of returning to the cat guts
jNZxn TIL that Ulysses S. Grant provided the defeated and starving Confederate Army with food rations after their surrender in April, 1865. Because of this, for the rest of his life, Robert E. Lee "would not tolerate an unkind word about Grant in his presence."
oXrA TIL In ancient Greece to throw an apple at someone was to symbolically declare one’s love; and similarly, to catch it was to symbolically show one’s acceptance of that love.
D10Rv TIL that real dead bodies were used on the set of “Apocalypse Now.” The man who supplied them turned out to be a grave robber and was arrested.
R7b7l TIL No Doubt's Don't Speak was originally written as a happy love song with lyrics like "We're always together/We will be forever/such a special treasure;" after breaking up with the band's bassist, Gwen Stefani re-wrote it to reflect her emotional anguish