› added 8 years ago

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TIL Taumatawhakatangihangakoauauotamateaturipukakapikimaungahoronukupokaiwhenuakitanatahu, longest name-place on Earth. Translate: “The summit where Tamatea, the man with the big knees, the slider, climber of mountains, the land-swallower who travelled about, played his nose flute to his loved one.”

Xw9D TIL a man bought a penis enlarger online, and when his package came in the mail it contained only a magnifying glass and the instructions “Do not use in sunlight.”
oBLY7 TIL that the crinoline was a large wire cage worn around the waist of Victorian Era women that created a large hoop that was considered stylish at the time. Many died because of this fad for the their cumbersome nature, knocking over lamps or candles that ignited their flammable dresses.
PY4gE TIL no Canadian owns the physical land they purchase, only an interest in the estate according to law (The Canada Act of 1982). The Canadian monarch owns 100% of Canada's land.
8aXOK TIL that Constantine V of the Byzantine Empire (r. 741-775) was so loved for his ability as a general that following the defeat of the Byzantine army by the Bulgarians at the battle of Pliska in 811, a group of soldiers broke into his tomb and begged his corpse to come back and lead them again.
lopZA TIL about Project Pigeon where psychologist B.F. Skinner developed pigeon-guided missiles for World War II. He put pigeons in the nose cones of missiles and trained them to peck at targets. It was effective but never got off the ground because nobody took them seriously and radar became popular.