› added 12 years ago

145

TIL the guards at the maximum security prison in Walpole went on strike in 1973 due to “excessively humane” prison reforms. They left all the cells unlocked, but instead of escaping, the prisoners formed a self functioning anarchist society for 3 months.

Read more nvdatabase.swarthmore.edu

via reddit.com

R5bZj TIL that Punjabi and Mexican immigrants who came to the U.S. during the early 20th century intermarried and formed an Indo-Mexican community in Yuba City, California
wLKWJ TIL that Texas seceded from Mexico because slavery was illegal in Mexico
BgpEd TIL the concept of contact lenses was conceived in 1823 and was realized in 1887. The original lenses weren't meant for sight correction. Instead they were used to protect diseased eyes.
Z8apo TIL that Polaris, the 'North Star' was not used by ancients for navigation. It only became the closest naked-eye star to the celestial pole in Medieval times. Before that, the Ursa Minor constellation was used for navigation.
W79mX TIL that some employers use military-grade surveillance tools originally developed for the Pentagon and the CIA to track staff behavior, emotions, fatigue, work intensity, and productivity.