› added 4 years ago

109

TIL that in 427BC Athens sent a ship to Mytilene which had instructions to kill all adult men in the city-state. The next day, Athenians voted to change their decision - a second ship was dispatched. Racing through the night, it reached Mytilene just in time to prevent the massacre from happening.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

R5noQ TIL that the world's largest rodent "Capybara" are so chill to the point that they can form an unlikely friendship with crocodiles.
woPw7 TIL Florentine politician and Machiavelli's friend Francesco Guicciardini served 3 popes over 20 years, ending up as the 2nd most powerful man in the papal states. Privately, he hated the catholic church and confided that the only reason he wasn't a Lutheran, was pure self interest
74E7 TIL The Irish once had vast political and military influence in south America, examples include Irishmen founding the Argentine and Uruguayan navies, an Irishman served as the military Governor of Chile and Irishmen served as the Aide-de-Camp’s to leaders such as Simon Bolivar and José de San Martín
gr7J4 TIL about Problembär or problem bear in Bavaria, Germany a single bear called Bruno. Shot dead in 2006 because of his preference for sheep and chickens, he was the first bear on Bavarian Soil in 170 years. Italy later declared Bruno to be Italian state property and demanded his return.
KYEk9 TIL of Alcohol Flush Syndrome - facial flushing, nausea, and fast heart rates from drinking alcohol. It is commonly called "Asian Flush" because 30-50% of East Asians lack the enzyme needed to metabolize alcohol