› added 1 month ago

7

TIL that Euler was functionally blind. In 1738, he became nearly blind in his right eye, earning the nickname "Cyclops" from Frederick II; by 1766, he lost vision in his left eye as well. Despite this, his productivity actually surged: in 1775, he wrote on average one mathematical paper per week

VB7xm TIL in 1723, Handel took up residence in a Mayfair flat for 36 years - 200 years later Jimi Hendrix lived in the same flat
4kKD5 TIL about Jerusalem syndrome - whereby a person who seems previously balanced and devoid of any signs of psychopathology can become psychotic after arriving in Jerusalem. It is not endemic to one single religion or denomination affecting Jews, Christians, and Muslims of many different backgrounds.
NmLJ TIL: That Joseph Goebbels became Reich Chancellor after Hitler’s suicide, he completed one official act in the position, and within one day of getting this position he killed himself along with his immediate family.
d8w58 TIL the founder of Yamaha carried his first prototype reed organ over his shoulder on a pole (by foot!) through the mountains on his way to show it off at the Tokyo Music Institute. After it was criticized harshly, Yamaha studied music theory for months in order to deliver an improved prototype.
j618M TIL almost all rice contains arsenic, a Group 1 carcinogen. Research found that 50% of rice consumed in the United Kingdom intended for infant consumption exceeded the required levels of arsenic. However, scientists found a method of cooking rice that removes much of the arsenic.