/f/todayilearned
TIL researchers at the University of Georgia have built a device named the "Wasp Hound", which contains a parasitic wasp species trained to recognize various odors like explosives or drugs. The wasps are tracked by a computer which triggers an alarm when enough wasps seemingly focus in on a scent.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by The_Critical_Cynic t3_1001i3q
TIL: Samuel Byck tried to assassinate President Nixon by hijacking a plane and crashing it into the White House. Byck drove to BWI, shot a police officer, stormed a Delta aircraft and shot the two pilots. Police stopped Byck before the plane ever moved, but Nixon was in the White House at the time.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by theotherbogart t3_zcs5e2
TIL of “The Pittsburg Windmill”, the boxer Harry Greb who boxed with one eye after losing sight in the other due to an injury. Despite this, Greb was the only person to defeat champion Gene Tunney and was renowned for breaking the colour line by accepting challenges from African-American opponents.
wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Luncha t3_zzz4it
TIL Germs and Foo Fighters guitarist Pat Smear appears as one of the dancers in Prince's 1985 video for "Raspberry Beret." Dave Grohl in the book "I Want My MTV": "Pat can't dance so they sent him home (...) Prince whispers in the bodyguard's ear. Bodyguard says, 'You can stay. He likes your hair.'"
wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Bubbly-Incident t3_10hun1f
TIL Soren Kierkegaard's first publish work was a panned review of Hans Christian Andersen. It ignited a life-long feud between the two Danes. Andersen responded by caricaturing the existentialist in "The Galoshes of Fortune," where Kierkegaard is portrayed as an annoying parrot who makes no sense.
degruyter.comSubmitted by Rowan-Trees t3_z95ang
Submitted by johnsmithbonds8 t3_10g88vw
TIL. The Battle of Tanga also known as the battle of the bees, It is a failed attack on German East Africa by a british indian expeditionary force. The 98th infantry battalion were attacked by swarms of angry bees and broke up. The bees attacked both sides troops hence the name.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by BoredPelikan t3_y7vjgq
TIL Larry Graham of Sly and the Family Stone is widely credited with introducing percussive playing on the electric bass in the 1969 song Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Again). He stated that he developed bass slapping in an earlier band in order to compensate for that band's lack of a drummer.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by trifletruffles t3_ygitb8