› added 3 months ago

14

TIL of Cincinnatus, a Roman leader, who after retiring to a simple life of farming, was summoned to assume complete control of the state when Rome was struggling against an enemy. After achieving a swift victory in mere days, Cincinnatus relinquished all his powers, and returned to labor on his farm

Read more britannica.com

via reddit.com

ANkZw TIL we can inherit traits from our parents and even emotions like fear. From Science, a recent study "found that heritable changes in plant flowering time and other traits were the result of epigenetics alone."
M7VNV TIL: That steam locomotives were invented before the bicycle. (1804 vs 1817)
x6EV0 TIL about Japan's Lost Generation, a group of young people who, between 1994 and 2004, were unable to find employment due to the Bubble Economy collapsing. Many of them never recovered financially, emotionally and relationally. Some of them withdrew from society and became social recluses.
VMDwD TIL in 1950, an Austrian psychology researcher had his assistant wear a pair of goggles that turned the world upside-down. By the 10th day, everything looked "normal" to him to the point he could effortlessly walk through a crowded sidewalk and even ride a bicycle while wearing them.
OkwX TIL: Singapore used sand from rival Indonesia to grow its land mass. This was banned after Indonesians realized they were literally ceding sovereign land to another nation.