› added 4 months ago

18

TIL that the 11th century Krak de Chevaliers castle was still effective during the Syrian civil war, being used as a command center and military outpost by anti-Assad rebels and only fell after 133 struck a deal to flee to Lebanon.

Read more middleeasteye.net

via reddit.com

n9k7 TIL There was an octopus named Otto that figured out he could turn off the lights in his aquarium and threw a chess board out of his tank once he was bored of it.
1a7Jr TIL Queen Elizabeth II is the only living head of state to have served in World War II
MdJa TIL that the fatality rate among hard drug users is 14 times higher than for the general population
6EOZ TIL that in 2003, a German citizen was kidnapped by the CIA and beaten, stripped, violated and tortured - until they found out they had the wrong guy.
woZYY TIL, in the January 1982 California floods, more than 18,000 landslides swept through the SF Bay Area killing 33 and causing $280 million in damages.