› added 11 years ago

220

TIL you can sail in any direction relative to the wind at speeds faster than the wind.

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neDWW TIL Antonio Pigafetta was an Italian tourist who joined Magellan’s historic circumnavigation around the world. Magellan himself was killed, and only 18 crew members survived, including Pigafetta — his surviving journal is where most of the information about the voyage comes from.
aoWy TIL plants make caffeine to defend themselves against pests. Caffeine is toxic to birds, dogs, cats, and it has a pronounced adverse effect on mollusks, various insects, and spiders.
6KDl TIL 18 million people in the US are consistently hungry, and another 30 million people have occasional problems getting enough food to eat
l70BB TIL that The Animals’ frontman Eric Burdon claimed he inspired the Beatles' line "I am the Eggman" after telling John Lennon about a sexual experience he had with his girlfriend involving a raw egg
ANGb7 TIL that some early Chinese munitions consisted of black powder in a bamboo tube along with a live rat. When fired toward the enemy, the flaming rats created great psychological ramifications—scaring enemy soldiers away and causing cavalry units to go wild