› added 4 years ago

207

TIL that in pre-Norman England, Father Christmas, originally wore a green suit with a long green hooded cloak, as well as a wreath made of holly, mistletoe or ivy which represented the coming spring.

Read more history.co.uk

via reddit.com

ANaJg TIL that when epidemiologist Tamara Safonova and virologist Alexandra Sheboldaeva discovered Tick-Borne Encephalitis Virus in 1937, they were accused of spreading the virus themselves and sentenced to 18 years in Soviet labor camps.
nevN7 TIL that the US Air Force seriously considered and researched Nuking the Moon as a show of force after Russia launched Sputnik, but scrapped it at the last minute as they felt landing on it would be better received by the public.
BgZNr TIL of the Aswan scorpion invasion. In 2001, a rare rainfall event in Aswan led to the scorpions evacuating their homes and coming into contact with people. Over 500 people were stung.
epKP4 TIL that in 1950 a recording project of Kenyan songs from Kipsigis people captured songs about Chemirocha or Jimmy Rodgers the blue yodler and father of country and blues. They thought he was half man half goat.
4XbWJ TIL about Thimmamma Marrimanu the tree with the greatest perimeter length in the world.A distance of 846 m is required to walk around the perimeter of its canopy.