› added 12 years ago

225

TIL in WWII,Germans tank drivers in Africa would drive tanks over camel poop for luck. Allies responded by planting land mines disguised as camel dung. Germans got wind of this and began riding over dung that was already overrun with tank tracks. In turn, Allies made mines looking like overrun dung

Read more mentalfloss.com

via reddit.com

nWBdr TIL paleontologist Xu Xing has named more new species of dinosaur than any other living person and is one of the most prolific paleontologists to ever live. He's described so many new species that he's actually lost track of how many; he estimates the number is somewhere around 80.
n107 TIL that amid widespread chocolate shortage during WW2, Pietro Ferrero sought to create a chocolate treat that would be affordable for struggling families. The result was “supercrema,” a spread made with just a little bit of chocolate and a lot of the hazelnuts. Now we call it Nutella.
Z8KGD TIL that Bill Gates released a swarm of (not infectious) mosquitoes at a TED Talk to demonstrate that even if malaria doesn’t infect people directly, they should still care
9wgXM TIL - of the Danbury Trashers, a short lived UHL hockey team started by garbage boss and mob associate James Galante who appointed his 17-y/o. son as President and GM. In their 2 seasons they set a UHL record for penalty minutes before Galante was arrested and the team folded.
kOoKE TIL of Melon Heads while I was searching for Anthony Fantano. It is the name given to legendary beings in Michigan, Ohio, and Connecticut, generally described as small humanoids with bulbous heads, who occasionally emerge from hiding places to attack people.