› added 4 years ago

141

TIL On April 16th, 1912 Harriet Quimby became the first woman to pilot an aircraft across the English Channel. Her accomplishment received little media attention, however, as the sinking of the RMS Titanic the day before consumed the interest of the public and filled newspapers.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

w1p1 TIL Broken Heart Syndrome is a real medical condition and is so-named because cases are often triggered by the death of a loved one. Diagnosed mainly in females, it results in a misshapen heart unable to pump blood properly and can trigger a heart attack or even death.
l7db5 TIL that during Apartheid, South Africa offered "Honorary white" status to many East Asians in order boost trade with East Asia. However, when South Africa offered it to South Korea, Not only did South Korea reject the offer but severed diplomatic ties with South Africa in protest of Apartheid.
ne7Lo TIL that American Civil War Union soldiers were issued 36 pounds of coffee a year and the word "coffee" appeared more in journal entries than "war," "bullet," "cannon," "slavery," "mother" or "Lincoln."
l7b95 TIL that during the Revolutionary War, lower Westchester County, NY became a lawless "neutral ground" between British and American forces, where civilians endured constant raids and pillaging because neither side could maintain order. Amidst the chaos, residents "feared everybody whom they saw."
D14gp TIL More than 85% of residents of the United States believe they are less biased than the average American.