› added 2 years ago

70

TIL foreign investors estimated the Confederacy had a 42% chance of winning the Civil War, just before the Battle of Gettysburg

Read more nber.org

via reddit.com

69YGW TIL that in the 1980s, apples were likely to contain higher levels of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. Monoculture cropping, heavy pesticide/fertilizer use, and erosion led to soil degradation + nutrient depletion, which in turn has led to the apples of today not having the same nutrients.
xVAx7 TIL that the ratio between your index and ring finger is indicative of prenatal testosterone/estrogen exposure and is also correlated with various traits related to health, behavior, and even sexuality later in life.
VMkpD TIL that Honest Tea holds a yearly experiment. They set up a stand offering a bottle of tea for $1 on the honor system, and the number of drinks taken are compared to the amount of money received. Americans were roughly 90% honest, and the city of Honolulu, Hawaii was 100% honest 2 years in a row
yVGMJ TIL that during a trip to Moscow, then Vice-President Richard Nixon was exposed to high levels of ionising radiation while staying at the US ambassador's residence. After Secret Service agents loudly complained the next day, radiation levels dropped.
grlX4 TIL that Andy Reid (whose Kansas City Chiefs just won the Super Bowl again) was a very large child. In 1971, the future head coach appeared on 'Monday Night Football' for an athletic competition. Already 6'2" tall and weighing 220 lb, Reid was so large that he wore a real NFL player's uniform.