› added 7 years ago

66

TIL That pencils never actually contained lead, people just called it that cause they thought graphite was a type of lead.

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xVQng TIL of Charles Lightoller, one of many individuals who used his personal boats to assist in the evacuation of French and British troops at Dunkirk in 1940. Prior to this, he was the senior-most officer to survive the sinking of the RMS Titanic and enforced the "women and children first" order
78kJX TIL that in 1919 the Austrian state of Vorarlberg held a referendum where 80% voted to join Switzerland. Switzerland refused though as they didn't want another German/Catholic Canton to upset the delicate balance between them.
DyLg TIL that comic book characters come back to life after dying so often that they are aware of the likely resurrections. Professor X said “in mutant heaven there are no pearly gates, but instead revolving doors.” After one X-Man died, his daughter refused to mourn him because he’d be alive again.
0QAj TIL that the Alaskan Malamute became the state dog of Alaska after a 3 year campaign and legislative process that started with a kindergartner asking the question, “Why doesn’t Alaska have a state dog.”
yQLWv TIL that auctioneers average a salary around $46,000 USD