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TIL on April 1, 1980, BBC news ervice “reported” that the Big Ben will get a digital readout, and that the clock hands will be given to the first four listeners to call. Later on, BBC received a massive amount of phone calls from angry protestors, and ended up spending several days to apologize.

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Z85pv TIL that doves and pigeons are the same bird. In English, the smaller species tend to be called "dove" and the larger ones "pigeon". The distinction is not consistent, and does not exist in most other languages.
1bad TIL that there is a huge amount of land in France that was so damaged by war practically nothing lives there.
WkWpN TIL that in January 2000, British boxer Julius Francis faced Mike Tyson. British newspaper The Mirror was so certain of Francis' defeat that they paid £20,000 for an advert on the soles of his shoes. Francis lost in two rounds, but he enjoyed the biggest payday of his career, at around £350,000
MnnV TIL that a school went on lockdown when a receptionist at a doctors office called police to report a student threatening to shoot up the school in his voicemail. What she actually heard was the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.
VB6ZZ TIL the "Petticoat Duel" between Lady Almeria Braddock & Mrs. Elphinstone occurred in 1792. Braddock reportedly claimed to be under 30 years old & took offense when Elphinstone said she was over 60. Both missed with their pistols, but Braddock won after wounding Elphinstone when they moved to swords