› added 7 years ago

298

TIL during World War II, the British secret service set up fake charities to distribute care packages with special copies of the board game Monopoly to prisoners of war in Germany. The game contained real compasses; metal files; French, German, and Italian money; and maps.

Read more theatlantic.com

via ift.tt

b004 TIL that crocodiles will balance sticks over their snouts in order to lure water birds that are searching for nesting material. They have only been seen doing this during the bird’s nesting season.
nW4Ed TIL that in addition to Red Cross organizations, there are also Red Crescent and Red Crystal organizations, with the symbols localized for acceptance by the community of each nation that has such an organization. In the past there was also a Red Lion and Sun (Iran).
W7OV8 TIL Jack Black was the offical rat catcher for Queen Victoria and bred rats to sell them as pets
VBAGB TIL that the term “oxymoron” means “brightly stupid” and is therefore an oxymoron having the same meaning as “sophomore”
LkYJd TIL cogs exist in nature. The plant hopper uses cogs to synchronise its legs when jumping.