› added 7 months ago

22

TIL US bought three islands (US Virgin Islands) from Denmark in 1917.

Read more history.com

via reddit.com

mNwM TIL: It was once believed sperm contained miniature people that grew in to full sized humans
v1OB7 TIL in 1961 Bill Mitchell of GM ordered his team to paint a concept car to match the colors of a dead shark mounted in his office. Many attempts failed, so one night the team kidnapped the fish and painted it instead. Mitchell never found out and was happy with the team's duplication of nature.
YpYxG TIL that during the UK general election of 1880, a well-presented book about one of the candidates was widely circulated, named "Political Achievements of the Earl of Dalkeith". Spoiler alert, it contained 32 empty pages.
woJdM TIL that "Tom's Diner" by Suzanne Vega is the restaurant from Seinfeld
XVp6 TIL that when the Knights Templar were dissolved across Europe in the 14th century, the Portuguese branch simply changed its name to the Order of Christ and survives to this day.