› added 6 months ago

21

TIL that despite being mentally unfit to rule, Afonso VI became King of Portugal in 1656. He married Maria of Savoy but was unable to consummate during their 2 year marriage. Maria got an annulment, married his younger brother Pedro, sent Alfonso into exile on an island and they claimed the thrown.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

b9vK0 TIL that an anonymous Brit drew penises around potholes in Manchester to force authorities to stop delaying fixing them. It worked
8aRPL TIL that singer Lorde has sound-to-color synesthesia, a unique condition where sound blends with sight to create certain colors. This greatly contributed to the creative process on "Melodrama", where she wrote music to the "violets and blues" that appear on the album's cover
gMJ9L TIL Timothy Treadwell, also known as 'The Grizzly Man' originally wanted to become an actor and auditioned for the part of Woody Boyd in Cheers.
x6P70 TIL the chromosomal cap, called telomere, grows shorter during cell division. Researchers also found out that most old people have shorter telomeres, that some telomeres had never shortened in those who lived past 100 years old, and that cancer cells don't die because their telomeres don't shorten.
yQk5e TIL that a recent study indicated 87% of former football players exhibit signs of significant brain injury. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy -CVT- has been linked to suicidal behavior, dementia, and erratic mood swings. Players as young as high-school aged were found to be affected.