› added 7 years ago

264

TIL that the term "pipe dream" is a reference to the insane dreams people have when smoking opium

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via reddit.com

kOB5e TIL that the largest trebuchet ever made was called 'War Wolf' and, at ~400ft tall, was so massive and intimidating that it made the Scots surrender on sight. Despite this, it was fired anyway to observe the destruction it would cause.
pYMle TIL that William E. Boeing bought the Heath Shipyard in Seattle in 1910 and transformed the boatyard into his first airplane factory. Working from a tent hangar, his first plane - the Boeing Model 1 - was built from spruce and canvas by former shipwrights and took flight in 1916.
LkVE0 TIL Francis J. Falejczyk was the first man to breathe oxygenated fluid through his lungs. Eventually after further testing, he presented the information to a crowd of people, one of which was James Cameron. Giving James the idea for the 1989 movie, The Abyss.
E4g0 TIL The person who does the voice of Optimus Prime also does Eeyore from Winnie the Pooh
b95Q7 TIL the USA has 11 aircraft carriers in operation, the rest of the world has the same number as a combined total