› added 8 years ago

285

TIL that the species of banana eaten today is different to the species eaten pre 1965. The Gros Michel banana became commercially extinct in 1965 due to fungal disease. Today’s main export banana, the Cavendish, is now under threat from the same disease.

Read more edition.cnn.com

via reddit.com

kJwW7 TIL there was a Call of Duty game for the PS2
D1lYV TIL that there is a town in West Virginia called Green Bank where citizens are banned from using cell phones, Wi-Fi or most other modern technology due to the presence of a hi tech government satellite. Because of this, it has become a sort of haven for people who hate modern technology.
WkWDd TIL Anastasia, daughter of the last Tsar of Russia, supposedly escaped execution during the Russian Revolution. The story inspired books and imposters. Scientific analysis (incl. DNA analysis) now confirms she died in 1918. Remains included the imperial family and all four grand duchesses.
WkZ9X TIL the Five Civilized Tribes were deeply committed to slavery, had their own black codes, immediately reestablished slavery when they arrived in Indian territory, rebuilt their nations with slave labor, crushed slave rebellions, and enthusiastically sided with the Confederacy in the Civil War.
BgrEb TIL the fictional Seinfeld coffee shop “Monks” was named after the legendary jazz great Thelonious Monk. A poster of the pianist/composer just happened to be in the room when Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld needed a name for the shop while writing the show.