› added 5 years ago

66

TIL that the check mark is believed to have been created during the Roman Empire. "V" was used to shorten the word "veritas", meaning 'truth'. This was used to indicate yes, true, or confirmed on items in a list. Over time, the design of the mark changed.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

8NeZ TIL That analysis of dog mitochondrial DNA suggests that all dogs can be traced back to the domestication of wolves 11,000 to 16,000 years ago in South West China.
Vyy4 TIL The first TV remote controls were called “clickers” and did not use batteries, they transmitted an ultrasound when the user clicked the button, striking a metal rod inside to send an audible signal to the TV
Jo9B TIL the “bar” in Law, isn’t just the name of the exam. It refers to the physical gated wall in a courtroom dividing the lawyers and judges from the general viewing public. “Passing the bar” gains you admittance to work on the other side of the wall.
J9Qv TIL that Smaug, the reclusive red-gold dragon from The Hobbit, has an estimated worth of $54.1bn. It is #2 Richest Fictional Characters.
lo6YA TIL Back in 2011, the travelling Picadilly Circus was scheduled to perform in Joplin, Missouri, until an EF-5 Tornado destroyed most of the city, rendering them unable to perform. As a result, the circus employees used their two adult elephants to help drag debris off the roads for first responders.