› added 12 years ago

113

TIL Henry Paget, Cavalry commander at the Battle of Waterloo had his leg blown off by a cannon ball. When it happened he shouted to the Duke of Wellington “By God, sir, I’ve lost my leg!” — to which Wellington replied, “By God, sir, so you have!”

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

OGkQ7 TIL that Pyrocumulonimbus clouds form during intense wildfires when the heat from the fire sends a lot of smoke and hot air high into the atmosphere. This can create a type of cloud that is capable of producing lightning, which can sometimes start new fires.
ADeMB TIL about Operation Mindf**k: a group of 1960s pranksters who wanted to show how ridiculous conspiracy theories were by placing stories in the media attributing all calamities and conspiracies in the world to an 18th century Bavarian society called the Illuminati.
PAjw TIL that property owners only have rights to about 500 feet in elevation, and the FAA is seeking to lower this limit for drone use, which is increasing.
KYWN4 TIL that the Makkah Royal Clock Tower stands 601 meters and is the centerpiece of the Abraj Al Bait Complex of seven luxury hotels which overlook the Kaaba and Holy Mosque, the focus of pilgrims performing Umrah and Hajj. The clock hosts the Makkah Time, a time signal to unify the Islamic world.
JY5dm TIL the Great Indian Bustard was a major candidate for being India's national bird, but over fears that it would be misspelled "Great Indian Bastard", it was rejected in favor of the peacock. Since then, the peacock has been thriving, while the bustard has been on the verge of extinction.