› added 8 years ago

86

TIL that the City of London Police are the reigning Olympic tug of war champions.

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R784 TIL That Vermont was its own republic from 1777 to 1791. It applied to join the US and was denied, then tried to join Quebec and failed. They were finally accepted as the 14th State in 1791.
GokE TIL there used to be an instrument called a hurdy-gurdy. Apparently, it was used for “medieval raves.”
rbQ1 TIL that the largest cavalry charge in history occurred during the Turkish siege of Vienna. Spearheaded by 3000 winged knights, 20,000 Polish and German cavalrymen charged and routed the Ottoman line and decisively ended the Ottoman threat to christian Europe.
yQdkV TIL that both humans and domestic dogs elicit a dramatic increase of oxytocin, the bonding hormone, from the other when staring into each other's eyes. Similar to a human mother and her infant.
oBXBE TIL the rest of U2 were furious at Bono for spending too much time interacting with the crowd during their 1985 Live Aid set, forcing them to cut their hit "Pride (In the Name of Love)". To their surprise, that moment was considered the highpoint of the entire event, and it made them global stars.