› added 4 years ago

59

TIL that the invention of early bikes was prompted by a vulcanic eruption in Indonesia that led to a year without summer and the starvation of many horses.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

OxwY TIL: The most decorated US regiment was a japanesse american unit. They won 18,143 awards. Served in almost every theater of war, won 21 Medals of Honor, 52 Distinguished Service Crosses, 560 Silver Stars, 4,000 Bronze Stars and 9,486 Purple Hearts.
ANr1l TIL that, due to its short orbit around the sun (just 88 days), Mercury is, on average, the closest planet not only to Earth but to all the other planets in our Solar System as well.
jPQE TIL that the death of author C.S. Lewis was largely overlooked due to another event that day- the assassination of JFK.
6EDDm TIL that Japan has an early warning system for earthquakes that notifies you on your smartphone and radio seconds before it happens.
yVjPl TiL the shutter sounds cannot be disabled on Japanese mobile phones as a means “to prevent secret filming or other privacy issues."