› added 4 years ago

81

TIL of Krystyna Skarbek, a Polish women who became the first female field operative of the British secret service. She was also an inspiration of Ian Fleming’s character Vesper Lynd, of the famous James Bond novels.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

jOrX TIL in Lewis Carroll’s through the looking glass, Alice’s movements through the book map out a playable game of chess
PmMg TIL that most experienced Disney animators chose to work on Pocahontas instead of the Lion King because many at Disney had little faith in the project, leaving mostly first time animators working on the Lion King.
QNxVp TIL of Locusta, a notorious ancient Roman serial killer and poisoner who lived during the 1st century AD. Renowned for her expertise in toxic substances, Locusta gained infamy by providing poisons to prominent figures, including Roman emperors. She was eventually executed by Emperor Nero.
gMy74 TIL: That an Alberta Firehall has a safe box to anonymously surrender babies that is heated bassinet and has a silent alarm to alert once it's closed.
Zad4 TIL the phrase “balls out” has nothing to do with testicles, but rather with early steam engine components.