› added 9 years ago

545

TIL The term “pipe dream” came from people having fantasies from smoking an opium pipe.

Read more merriam-webster.com

via reddit.com

pY87Z TIL that in the 18th and 19th century, platinum was so cheap in Spain that it was used for various frauds. Notably, they created counterfeit British sovereigns with a gold-plated alloy of platinum and copper. In order to control this problem, the authorities dumped confiscated platinum into the sea.
78Eep TIL in the final years of his life, Harry Houdini spent substantial time and energy targeting 'spiritualists' who claimed they could read minds or communicate with the dead. Houdini saw this as an unethical branch of his profession that manipulated people vulnerable with grief.
rVdw TIL the French flag has uneven proportions in naval use. The blue, white, and red sections are 30%, 33%, and 37%, respectively, to counteract the illusion of size mismatch created when the flag is flapping (flapping makes the section opposite the halyard, the red section in this case, seem smaller)
ADQAw TIL that Elton John's 1970 breakout hit "Your Song" was written by Elton and originally recorded by the band Three Dog Night, but they did not release it as a single as they wanted to let John, then an upcoming artist, have a go with it.
KONA4 TIL before Judy Garland landed the role of Dorothy Gale, it was offered to Shirley Temple, and Deanna Durbin. Temple would have played the role if her studio let her out of her contract, and Durbin flat out refused the role.