› added 11 years ago

192

TIL That Lewis Carroll, the author of Alice and Wonderland, wanted to marry an 11 year old girl named Alice when he was 31.

Read more smithsonianmag.com

via reddit.com

VMaGm TIL a cafe in Bourges was once overwhelmed with customers after it was given a Michelin Star by accident
6EBbZ TIL about Pont du Gard, built by the Romans in 1st century AD to carry water. It is over 50km long and the whole aqueduct descends in height by only 12.6 m over its entire length. The aqueduct formerly carried an estimated 40,000 m3 of water a day to the fountains, baths and homes of Nîmes, France
BrRND TIL That Octopus And Squid Possess The Super-Power To Rewrite Their RNA. Researchers say that this type of RNA editing can allow a single octopus gene to produce an array of various proteins from the same DNA.
J1KrQ TIL that at the 1970 FIFA World Cup, Puma paid Brazilian superstar Pelé, the equivalent of $2.85 million to delay the start of the match to tie his shoe. With the cameras panning to him and his shoe, Puma gained unprecedented global publicity which marked a turning point in their feud with Adidas.
7w0b TIL When Lena Horne entertained troops during WWII for the USO, German POW’s were given front row seats while black servicemen were relegated to the back of the theater. She walked off the stage to the row where the black troops were seated and performed with the Germans behind her.