› added 9 years ago

93

TIL that the “mystery” flavor of Dum Dums lollipops is the result of the end of one batch mixing with the beginning of a new batch instead of stopping production to clean the machines

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

JYXw4 TIL fire will burn in a spherical shape In microgravity environments, like space, because without gravity oxygen diffuses with random oxygen molecules drifting into the fire. Absent the upward flow of hot air, fires in microgravity will stay spherical and small
BrPlL TIL of Albert Pierrepoint, England's lead hangman from the 1940's-1950's. He executed many Nazi's and other high profile murderers. He owned a pub and usually was able to carry out an execution and still make it back to open his bar on time. He once had to hang one of his regular pub customers.
p8vW8 TIL in the lead up to Midway, the US suspected that a Japanese target called "AF" is Midway. To test this, US Pacific Command instructed Midway to give a signal indicating that they're out of water. The Japanese, immediately signalled that "AF is out of water".
LklMv TIL Carl McCunn was flown to the Alaska wilderness to take photos of wildlife. The pilot never returned for him. His friends had a pilot fly out but Carl accidentally gave the signal for “all okay.” He survived for 8 months before killing himself instead of freeze or starve.
M7Vy0 TIL As Germany was about to lose the First World War Erich Ludendorff was forced to resign and escaped the country on a false passport while wearing a fake beard. While in Sweden he wrote his memoirs which were considered a showcase of his "caesar-mania".