› added 9 years ago

107

TIL “Smarties” (U.S.) were first made after WWI using repurposed gunpowder pellet machines, which gave them their shape and texture.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

Bryor TIL that despite discovering the cure for scurvy as early as 1497 by Vasco de Gama's crew, it was repeatedly forgotten, discredited, 'rediscovered' and messed around for hundreds of years despite scientific research. It continued killing people till Vitamin C was finally isolated in 1932
mxQBv TIL November 14, 1910 Eugene Ely made the first airplane takeoff from a warship in a Curtiss pusher airplane from the cruiser USS Birmingham at Hampton Roads, VA. Ely later completes the first landing and takeoff from a ship in 1911. His flights marked the beginning of carrier aviation.
XEybD TIL: The huge underground secret bunker located at Mt. Weather, VA, intended to house the Government in case of a nuclear war, was disclosed to the public when TWA Flight 514 slammed into the mountain close to the entrance of the base in 1974.
kYVd TIL that singing birthday cards have more processing power than the combined computers of the Allied Forces in World War II.
VMllZ TIL The Slip 'N Slide toy from the 80's and early 90's is considered one of the more dangerous toys of that generation. It's very risky for teens and adults to use, resulting in many cases of spinal, neck and paralysis injuries. And that's assuming it wasn't set up on rocks in the lawn!