› added 4 years ago

54

TIL there was a Navajo WWII POW in Nagasaki who survived the atomic bomb & was tortured for being "of Japanese descent", despite his denial. When the Japanese realized the secret US military code was in Navajo, they forced him to translate, although it was nonsense to him as he didn't know the code.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

LQkDd TIL despite being completely landlocked, the U.S. state of Nebraska offers the title of Nebraska Admiral as its highest honorary civic title. Originally the full title was "Admiral in the Great Navy of the State of Nebraska". The honorary certificate even describes it in a tongue-and-cheek fashion.
R7rj TIL that people from Niger are called Nigeriens, whereas people from Nigeria are called Nigerians
wjAM TIL bats represent about 20% of all mammal species worldwide
MeMg8 TIL that the inside of a tornado is filled with blue lightning, and many little tornadoes. The air is smooth, not turbulent, but hard to breath.
WkZg9 TIL that elephants, known as one of the most intelligent species, are capable of recognizing their own dead and having some kind of grupal grief, as a funeral. They "mourn" their dead, showing curiosity, emotion and acting irregularly.