› added 12 years ago

589

TIL that Einstein smoked cigarette butts picked off from the street and went out sailing when there was no wind, because it was ‘more challenging’

Read more telegraph.co.uk

via reddit.com

6EaP7 TIL Garlic was called Russian penicillin during World War II because, after running out of antibiotics, the Russian government turned to this ancient treatment for its soldiers.
gMNA7 TIL that 'Star Spangled Banner' only became the anthem of the USA in 1931, after the huge outcry caused by Robert Ripley, who denounced in one of his famous "Believe it or Not" cartoons that the country, in fact, had no official anthem up until then.
dDRbd TIL car speedometers often become "frozen" following a heavy accident. The last reading can indicate the speed at impact, but is usually incorrect. This is not a feature - speedometers were not designed to jam after an accident.
epPlL TIL that copra, dried coconut meat which contains concentrated coconut oil, is banned from flights in India due to the risk of spontaneous combustion.
8aObV TIL that scallops have jet propulsion