› added 7 years ago

105

[TIL] Mosquitos Help to pollinate cocoa trees

Read more uni-goettingde

via reddit.com

e0PXD TIL that natural gas, propane, etc don't really have a smell of their own. A chemical called methanethiol is added as a safety measure because it is detectable by the human nose at incredibly small concentrations. It is also partially responsible for the smell of bad breath and flatulence.
d8D4B TIL in 1972 Canada had a contest to complete the saying "As Canadian as...". The winner was "As Canadian as possible under the circumstances."
9Yvr7 TIL of the worst crash in motor sports history at the 1955 Le Mans race. A car broke apart and flew into the stands, with its hood decapitating spectators like a guillotine. In the aftermath, varying reports claim 65-120 were killed. The link contains graphic content.
1aZyP TIL that the inventor of Vaseline, who lived to be 96, swore that eating a spoonful of Vaseline each morning was beneficial to health.
XE1BD TIL of the Sack of Rome in 390 BC. After the Romans were routed and the city was all but destroyed, the Romans figured their only decision was to pay the invaders to leave. It worked.