› added 11 years ago

116

TIL: In 1674, skeletons of 2 children were discovered under the staircase leading to the chapel at the Tower of London. Believed to be the remains of the “Princes in the Tower”, the skeletons were buried, on the orders of Charles II, in Westminster Abbey.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

yVDEa TIL that after Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle's eponymous Doolittle Raid on Japan lost all of its aircraft (although with few personnel lost), he believed he would be court-martialed; instead he was given the Medal of Honor and promoted two ranks to brigadier general.
kJa7W TIL of anchorites, medieval Christian ascetics who were walled into a cell ("anchorhold") attached to a church for their entire adult lives. Through small windows, they received sustenance, disposed of waste, and provided spiritual guidance to the public.
6Eg5Q TIL not long before his death, Freddie Mercury, confined to his bed, got to see an advance copy of the "Wayne's World" scene with Wayne and Garth headbanging to "Bohemian Rhapsody". He loved it and approved of the song's use in the film. The movie, in part, helped launch Queen's comeback in the USA
7rLd7 TIL about "posers", which are Muppet dummies used for promotional shoots without puppeteers. The Muppet fan community has developed names for some of the more distinctive ones, such as "Flathead Kermit".
J1Jbv TIL you don’t need to be a former British colony to join the Commonwealth of Nations. Mozambique, Rwanda, Gabon and Togo are all members despite no historical connections to the former British Empire.