› added 5 years ago

92

TIL that in 2007 a Swiss infantry unit got lost and inadvertently crossed 1.5 km into Liechtenstein. The accidental invasion ended when the unit realized their mistake and turned back. When the Swiss army apologized, Liechtenstein's reply was, ‘No problem, these things happen.’

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

VM0bG TIL in 1689, a philosopher asked: "If a man born blind can feel the differences between shapes such as spheres and cubes, could he, if given the ability to see, distinguish those objects by sight alone?" In 2003, 5 people who had their sight restored were asked that question. They all answered no.
OokY4 TIL Ringworm isn’t actually caused by worms. It’s a fungal infection that got its name because the rash looks like a worm, not because it’s caused by a worm.
BYK TIL that Michael Bay got his start in the film industry by interning with George Lucas when he was fifteen, filing the storyboards for Raiders of the Lost Ark. Impressed by the experience, he decided to become a director.
kOxD7 TIL in 2012, a burger king employee anonymously posted an image on 4-chan of him putting his feet in lettuce, with the caption: "This is the lettuce you eat at Burger King." It took 20 minutes for people to track down the branch the employee worked at and contact the news. He was promptly fired.
rRoEM TIL about Ashvamedha, a ritualistic horse sacrifice in ancient India where a horse is allowed to wander for 1 year protected by the king's guards. If no rivals manage to kill or steal the horse after a year, it is returned and sacrificed in the city capital, legitimizing the soverignty of the king.