› added 9 years ago

105

TIL that a Labrador Retriever service dog pulled his disabled owner into the recovery position after he was struck unconscious, then covered him with a blanket, retrieved his mobile phone and pushed it against his face, and only left his owner to fetch help. He could also operate an ATM card.

p0QG TIL during the American Revolution, many untrained American soldiers used bayonets to cook meat over fires rather than using them for close combat. After receiving bayonet combat training from a Prussian general, the American Army was able to win an entire battle without firing a shot
R7W0a TIL after his presidency, US Grant lost nearly every cent in a Ponzi scheme. Shortly after, he was diagnosed with terminal throat cancer. Pushing through the pain, and with the help of Mark Twain, Grant penned his autobiography in order to not leave his wife with no financial security.
gMnLy TIL that in 1995, Dutch electronics engineer Jan Sloot claimed to have invented a data sharing system that could store a complete movie in eight kilobytes; he died one day before signing a deal, and despite months of searching, the system's compiler program has never been found.
5Yvj9 TIL that when 10 Downing Street was restored in the 1960s, it was found that its iconic black bricks were actually yellow, and had been stained black by two centuries of urban smog
awxnL TIL the creators of Curious George fled Paris on homemade bicycles just hours before Hitler's army invaded during WWII. The Reys decided they wanted to bring several in-the-works manuscripts with them and managed to pack five in their meager belongings. One of them was the first Curious George book