› added 4 years ago

283

TIL The moon's tidal forces are slowing down Earth's rotation over time. 500 million years ago, days on Earth were 21-22 hours long

Read more abc.net.au

via reddit.com

mwXv TIL Taser is an acronym for “Thomas A. Swift’s electric rifle”
J1bYQ TIL that King Louis IX was captured and imprisoned for six weeks in Egypt in 1250 during the Seventh Crusade. He was ransomed for the equivalent of one-third of France’s GDP, while nearly all of his army was massacred. 20 years later, he died in Tunisia while on another crusade.
4kddJ TIL that the reason why ABBA and many Swedish bands wore tacky and glamour outfits in the 70s and 80s was due to tax write-offs
oAwY TIL a convicted murderer was once granted a retrial after it was discovered that four members of the jury used a Ouija board to contact the victim before rendering their verdict.
VMnjk TIL that by 400 BC, Persian engineers had mastered the technique of storing ice in the middle of summer in the desert