› added 10 years ago

183

TIL when Louis the XIV of France was shown a new map of his country, which had been freshly surveyed by astronomers using more accurate methods, he saw that France had shrunk by 20 percent. He is said to have exclaimed, “I have just lost more territory to my astronomers than to all my enemies!”

E1K6P TIL monks in Westminster Abbey would eat 6,000 calories a day normally and 4,500 a day when "fasting". They drank a gallon of beer and 10 oz of wine and ate 2.25 lbs of bread, 5 eggs, and 2 lbs of meat or fish a day. Many monks became obese and suffered related conditions.
gMxY9 TIL About The Red Baron's Rules of Engagement – Eight Surprisingly Simple Air Combat Tricks Used to Conquer the Skies
xMk5 TIL, Jimmy Doyle, a boxer who died shortly after a fight with Sugar Ray Robinson, took the fight to buy his mum a house. Robinson, kindly gave all the money from his next 4 fights to Doyle’s Mum, to buy that house. She spent the money on drugs and legal terms to try and sue Robinson for more money.
GYDdG TIL There was a poll in 2005 to determine the best "dream" supergroup asking people to vote for the best singer, the best guitarist, the best bassist, and the best drummer of all time. Each member of Led Zeppelin won their respective categories, making them the greatest ''fantasy supergroup'' band.
9wApM TIL that the US, Turkey, New Zealand, Canada, Australia, Argentina, and the UK are all within 10 percentage points when it comes to obesity rates