› added 1 year ago

798

TIL that the name "Big Ben" refers to the bell itself, not the entire clock tower.

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JYX6Q TIL the birth control pill used to be known as the "red pill"
69yBX TIL that if a glass became literally half-empty, with water on top and vacuum beneath, it would explode, and crash into the ceiling.
rZyw TIL the dodo bird’s flightlessness and lack of a fear response was actually an evolutionary advantage before humans arrived, allowing them to conserve energy on an island with no predators.
vP4GK TIL the building where the Triangle Shirtwaist fire took place is still standing and is used by NYU for its chemistry and biology departments.
o5mL TIL The Shot at Dawn Memorial in Staffordshire, UK is a monument to to servicemen executed by firing squad during WWI. It is alleged that soldiers accused of cowardice were often not given fair trials; they were often not properly defended, suffering from shell shock, and some were minors.