› added 3 years ago

111

TIL Christian radio host Harold Camping predicted the world would end on May 21, 2011. Followers gave up their jobs, sold their homes, and stopped investing in their children's college funds. On May 22, his office had a paper note in the window stating, "This office is closed. Sorry we missed you!"

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

b9rKQ TIL that the word palindrome spelled backwards is emordnilap and an emordnilap is actually a word that, when spelled backwards, makes a new word (ex: desserts & stressed). So basically, "emordnilap palindrome" is an emordnilap palindrome.
7rPXb TIL Ikea has clear structure around the naming of their products. Beds and wardrobes - Norweigan place names, Chairs/Desks - men's names, Kitchen items - foreign works, spices, herbs, and fish, Curtains - mathematical terms.
RPrl TIL “Bicycle Day” (19th April) celebrates Swiss scientist Albert Hofmann’s discovery of LSD in 1943, and the harrowing ride home on his bicycle after deliberately ingesting a dose of the drug
ADWol TIL that Giovanni Battista Belzoni, the 6' 7" strong-man and circus performer was also the first egyptologist and a pioneer archaeologist. He discovered tombs, explored pyramids, found ancient artifacts, all while foiling assassination attempts, dodging bullets, and fighting the French army.
rR96d TIL about the first flight into the eye of a hurricane. In 1943, Col. Duckworth was training two British pilots on instrument flying in Texas. The pilots ribbed Duckworth on the quality of the AT-6 “Texan” Trainer they used. To prove its sturdiness, Duckworth flew the AT-6 into a hurricane. Twice.