› added 9 years ago

211

TIL on the morning of D-Day, J.D. Salinger landed on Omaha Beach with six chapters of his unfinished novel Catcher in the Rye in his backpack.

Read more vanityfair.com

via reddit.com

vlY8 TIL Owen J. Baggett became legendary as the only person to down a Japanese aircraft with a M1911 pistol hitting the pilot in the head while he was parachuting
KYJrJ TIL that Roman concrete has lasted for millennia due to its unique ingredients. Unlike modern concrete, which can weaken over time, Roman concrete was made with volcanic ash, lime, and seawater. This mix actually helped it strengthen over the centuries and resist cracking.
XbpP TIL about thirteen-year-old Yoko Moriwaki the “Japanese Anne Frank,” who kept a diary about her life during WWII. She was killed by the atomic bomb in her home town of Hiroshima and her diary was later published by her brother.
mx74p TIL of Littlewood’s Law of Miracles, which defines a miracle as a hugely-improbable, 1-in-a-million event. Assuming there are roughly eight hours per day where humans are alert, and we experience an “event” once per second, on average we should expect to experience a miracle about once per month.
OGB5Y TIL about The Ugly Americans a large street gang and organized crime group based in Cape Flats area of Cape Town. The Americans is corporate body for many smaller gangs in Cape Town.