› added 2 years ago

349

TIL that the illustrated wizard on the back cover of first edition of Harry Potter was not any character in the book but a drawing of the illustrator's father. The artist did not know the book would end up being a hit and just drew any random picture instead.

Read more thomastaylor-author.com

via reddit.com

kOKnE TIL The Mayans had paper-based books (codices) that Spanish missionaries burned, causing "much affliction" among the surviving Maya. Only three codices survive today.
dDlr9 TIL: the modern-day purple was created in London! While purple has been around for ages, it used to be almost impossible to get. Purple-colored dye could only be produced by a certain type of sea snail, making it extremely expensive. That all changed in 1856, thanks to a young chemist.
R78y7 TIL that the multi-awarded movie "Dallas Buyer's Club"'s budget was so low they only had $250 set aside for makeup. The film's artists , Adruitha Lee and Robin Mathews, were able to work with that, and the film's Makeup and Hair styling won an Oscar.
oB7nA TIL in 1343, while laying siege to a Genoese outpost, a Mongolian army fell ill With plague. During withdrawal, they catapulted the diseased bodies into the city. The inhabitants then also fell ill, and the merchants in the city went on to spread the plague to Constantinople and ultimately Europe.
QJk79 TIL that Keanu Reeves struggled with dyslexia, dad left when he was 3, best friend died of overdose, baby was still-born, mom of baby died in a crash and he still managed to be Keanu Reeves.