› added 2 years ago

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TIL Bison were among the first animals in the National Zoo (DC) & they were actually the inspiration for the zoo.

Read more nationalzoo.si.edu

via reddit.com

YOXx TIL Michael Faraday was one of the most influential scientists in history despite receiving little formal education. By age 40 he had invented the electric motor, the generator and the transformer. He was also the first person to show that an electromagnetic force can manipulate light.
e0Pgb TIL that the French writer and philosopher Georges Bataille founded a secret society called Acéphale to explore ritualism and human sacrifice, but apparently everyone volunteered to be the sacrificial victim and no one wanted to be the executioner so no sacrifice was ever carried out.
16ZKr TIL: Mexican Ranchero named Don Alejo (aged well in his 70s) killed 4 Los Zetas cartel members after they attempted to seize his ranch. He boarded up windows and used only his hunting rifles placed around his house. He died after they destroyed his house with grenade launchers.
0dyy5 TIL that Michael James Shaughnessy, 4th Baron Shaughnessy of Montreal, died in 2007 without any close heirs. So, the aristocratic title went to his second cousin: The guy who played the dad in "The Nanny."
ANGX4 TIL that in the state of Minnesota Supreme Court justices are forced to retire once they reach 70 years old.