› added 3 years ago

88

TIL the Great grey owl is so elusive, it was first "discovered" by Europeans exploring Canada, despite the fact that the species exists in Europe.

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yVZ9v TIL Despite having the best overall record in MLB in 1981, the Cincinnati Reds did not qualify for the postseason. This was due to a midseason strike which split the season in half and teams that won their division in each half of the season advanced to the playoffs.
mxy8y TIL in 1698, Emperor Peter of Russia created the "Beard Tax". If you paid 60 Rubels, you got given a 'beard token' which you used to prove you had paid. None-payers had their faces shaved off in public.
8eJaV TIL when you move your eyes quickly from one point to another, there's a slight disconnect between your eyes and brain, which makes you perceive time stretching backwards slightly. This is why it seems like a clock takes longer than a second to move when you first look at it.
LQrym TIL Hetty Green, the "Witch of Wall Street," became the wealthiest woman of the early 20th century, amassing a $100M fortune (~$2.7B today) by investing in real estate, railroads, and mortgages. Green was also a miser who wore the same black dress daily, ate only oatmeal, and lived in cheap housing.
vNGr TIL A primary school in Suffolk have children raise piglets as a class which will be ultimately butchered for meat and eaten. This is to teach them a lesson on the “provenance of food.” The older children are involved in creating recipes.