› added 9 years ago

107

TIL that Pope John Paul II sent a letter to a US leader asking not to invade Iraq. When the Cardinal arrived he handed this letter to the President. He places this letter on a table without opening or reading it then told the cardinal that he, the president, “was convinced it was God’s will”.

Read more vaticaninsider.lastampa.it

via reddit.com

Z8PWR TIL The Beastie Boys have turned down tens of millions of dollars in potential revenue by refusing to allow their songs to be featured in advertisements. MCA Yauch's will explicitly forbid the usage of any of his songs for ads. Monster Energy drink did anyway, without permission and were sued.
BlnL TIL ancient Egyptians had a pregnancy test where potentially pregnant women peed on barley and wheat seeds. Plant growth indicated pregnancy: Barley for boy; wheat for woman. Later tests show urine of pregnant women does cause plant growth 70% of the time, while urine of non-pregnant does not.
R7P9l TIL the Mathematical Association of America (MAA) does not believe it is important for students to take calculus in high school, saying “the pump that is pushing more students into more advanced mathematics ever earlier is not just ineffective: It is counter-productive.”
p8NvA TIL about HERA, a telescope searching for the oldest stars in the universe, from a period known as the Cosmic Dark Ages. And it is built from stuff you could buy at any local hardware store. "This is the beauty of low frequency radio astronomy: one doesn’t need custom, expensive hardware."
D19PP TIL of the tomb of Marcus Vergilius Eurysaces. Eurysaces, a baker, who lived in Rome during the 1st century BC built himself a 33-feet tall tomb, sporting intricate designs and extravagant engravings. Eurysaces, though having died a wealthy man had come to Rome as a slave.