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TIL of John II of France, who was captured by the English, in the Hundred Years War, and held hostage in London. An exchange of hostages occurred, with his son, Louis, taking his place. When John II was informed that Louis had escaped from captivity, he voluntarily returned to England as a hostage.

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QJ6ad TIL in 1933, in a publicity stunt for a Mae West movie named "It ain't no Sin", a Hollywood Press Agent bought 50 parrots and had taught them to squawk "It ain't no sin!" Then the movie changed titles and the parrots were subsequently released in South America, still repeating "it ain't no sin".
VM0bG TIL in 1689, a philosopher asked: "If a man born blind can feel the differences between shapes such as spheres and cubes, could he, if given the ability to see, distinguish those objects by sight alone?" In 2003, 5 people who had their sight restored were asked that question. They all answered no.
jx9v TIL Lewis Carroll eventually did answer the Mad Hatter’s famous unanswered riddle, “Why is a raven like a writing desk?” In an 1896 edition, he wrote, “Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!” [pg.71(5.)]
w10Y TIL Lurleen Wallace, who would become governor of Alabama, was diagnosed with cancer in 1961 but neither her doctor nor her husband Governor George Wallace bothered to let her know so she went without treatment for FOUR YEARS. The cancer killed her only 15 months into her term.
N7nGE TIL, Elliott Rodger, perpetrator of the Isla Vista killings of 2014, got his head taped to a desk while he was asleep when being bullied by other students, and became increasingly isolated over time after he turned 18, and was unable to make friends before the tragedy he is known for.