› added 5 years ago

381

TIL that Lake Erie has its own sea monster myth. Named "Bessie", the monster is similar in description to the Loch Ness monster. The minor league hockey team Cleveland Monsters are named after the myth, even though their mascot is a seagull.

Read more rockthelake.com

via reddit.com

7rEax TIL in 1917 the Aerowagon experimental high-speed railcar used an aircraft engine and propeller traction to go 140 kph (87mph) to carry Soviet officials. In 1921 officials successfully went from Moscow to Tula. On return it derailed at high speed killing 6 of 22 on board including the inventor.
oBYYA TIL in 1999 that Royal Caribbean was accused of dumping oil and was caught providing falsified documents about it to the US Coast Guard. They then argued they were outside US jurisdiction since they were incorporated in Liberia (their HQ was/is in Miami)
wLdEM TIL that tetanus is one of the few infectious diseases where recovery doesn't confer immunity. This is because tetanospasmin, the toxin which causes tetanus, is so lethal that death would occur before an immune response would occur
4kbRb TIL that a nuclear worker in Japan was exposed to 17 Sieverts of radiation (twice the amount that should kill a person). He was kept alive for 83 days, suffering serious radiation burns to his body, severe organ failure, and an almost zero white blood cell count.
ep4Ob TIL Loyalist artist Gilbert Stuart returned to America after the Revolution for one reason only: To paint a portrait of George Washington he could make copies and money from.