› added 9 years ago

170

TIL that before the Statue of Liberty, the US was personified as Columbia, which is where the name District of Columbia comes from.

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KlvR TIL Chromecast’s model number is “H2G2-42”, a reference to the answer to life, the universe, and everything, from the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
kMxW TIL during WWII, Hawaii had its own unique US banknotes. In case of Japanese invasion, the US government would have declared the notes worthless to prevent their use by Japanese troops.
nWEyd TIL that sniffing isopropyl alcohol is a remedy for nausea. Alcohol swabs or hand sanitizer really do the trick and works almost instantly. Look for hand sanitizer after amusement park rides too, it keeps the fun going!
Y7mjr TIL that we discovered the Loch Ness Monster was a hoax because of a chance deathbed confession In 1994. Marmaduke did it to get petty revenge on the Daily Mail for ridiculing him. He faked the famous photo using playdough and a toy submarine.
oRJJY TIL that rafflesia arnoldii, found in the rainforests of Sumatra, produces the world's largest flower. It can reach over 3 feet (1 meter) in diameter.