› added 6 years ago

448

TIL the sky in the famous painting "The Scream" is red probably because of the worldwide effects of Krakatoa's eruption in 1883, which launched particles in the air that changed the sky color for about 5 months

Read more nytimes.com

via reddit.com

k6rm TIL there are more black men in the prison system today than slaves in 1850
E1Krp TIL Abraham Lincoln and Charles Darwin were both born on February 12, 1809.
Wk5nA TIL fireworks were invented in China sometime between 200 BC and 900 AD. It is believed Marco Polo brought fireworks from China to Europe in 1295, and the global popularity exploded after that. In 1830, colors were added in Italy by adding different metallic powders.
4Mb6 TIL that Shawn Fanning of Napster fame wore a Metallica t-shirt to an MTV Awards show in which Ulrich Lars was in attendance. When he was asked where he got it he said “a friend shared it with him.”
VM4GB Today I learned that the last individual to hold the title of Tsar was Simeon II of Bulgaria, who ruled the country during WW2, and again in the 21st century as Prime Minister. He's still alive today.