› added 13 years ago

304

TIL that the word “vanilla” comes from “vagina” due to the shape of the bean pods.

Read more etymonline.com

via reddit.com

Znmv TIL Pablo Escobar lost 10% of his money due to rats and mold per annum, amounting to $2.1 billion
W7o8B TIL Christiaan Huygens was one of the first astronomers to apply mathematical principles to the design of optics rather than trial and error, and his telescope could study Saturn's ring system. The Huygenian eyepiece he invented in the 17th century is still in use today
6g8 TIL that nearly $1 million of Royalties collected from sales of Hitler’s Mein Kampf, sit unused because no one wants the money.
d8b9r TIL that birch trees have bark that peels because they can photosynthesize through their bark. Peeling off the old bark removes lichen and fungus that would prevent photosynthesis.
jNWJN TIL the Hell's Angels was formed as a motorcycle club in 1948 for WWII veterans to connect and create a community. Military surplus had made motorcycles inexpensive and young men were missing their fellow soldiers. They proudly named themselves after the fighter squadron, "Hell's Angels".