› added 6 years ago

93

TIL That Pluto was discovered in 1930 by a 23 year old farm boy with no degree in astronomy. He spent a year comparing photographs, looking for a star that changed positions in the sky. He would later teach at New Mexico State.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

JYrj4 TIL When the term ‘veggie burger’ was used in 1976, it meant a regular ground beef hamburger topped with vegetables.
ANxjB TIL In 2010, an animal rights advocacy group called for Punxsutawney Phil to be replaced with an animatronic groundhog, claiming the tradition stresses the animal. The Punxsutawney Groundhog Club rejected the idea, stating that Phil is well cared for and lives better than the average child.
R5xd6 TIL of Timothy Dexter - a barely literate American businessman, who was desperate for public office, and became wealthy through a series of improbable investments.
p8PoZ TIL In Finland, city planners are known to visit parks immediately after the first snowfall, when the existing walking paths are not visible. People naturally choose desire paths, clearly marked by their footprints, which can be then used to guide the routing of new purpose-built paved paths.
LkoE9 TIL Magellan didn't circumnavigate the globe. Magellan only made it to the Philippines, where he started a battle and was killed by natives. It was one of his Captains — Juan Sebastián Elcano 1476 – 1526 — who actually completed the journey, yet historically has not received credit for his journey.