/f/todayilearned
TIL that the 'funny bone' is not actually a bone in the arm, but a nerve. The ulnar nerve is connected from shoulder to hand and is protected by bones and muscles. As it passes thru the elbow it is only protected by the cubital tunnel, making it the most prone area in the body to 'strike a nerve'.
webmd.comSubmitted by deddPan t3_11xvao6
TIL that the British SAS was originally a fake regiment used to deceive Axis intelligence and was made real in 1941 by David Stirling who wanted a rogue regiment. Their first successful mission was stealing euipment (including a piano) from a New Zealand base
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Never-asked-for-this t3_z5ikzh
TIL That in 1840s Australia, there was a rumor about a European women held against her will by the Kurnai people. For two years, the native people of the area were hunted, with a boy being captured. After arranging a meeting, the natives arrived with a statue; the figurehead from the ship, Britannia
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by gingkared184 t3_zzoqn4
TIL after another band backed out, Malcolm McLaren suggested Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees play the 100 Club Punk Special. At the time, the band consisted only of Siouxsie Sioux and Steven Severin, so they had to borrow two musicians, one of which was Sid Vicious (who played drums).
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by man_itsahot_one t3_y6wngi
TIL Diophantus of Alexandria, a mathematician from the 3rd century, came up with many mathematical equations that took a long time to solve. The last one, Fermat's Last Theorem, was first stated in 1637 and was proved in 1995 by British mathematician Andrew Wiles.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by dustofoblivion123 t3_z3cfdp
TIL Teddy Roosevelt's 2nd son Kermit Roosevelt joined his father's Amazon expedition and had a river named after him, resigned from US Army in 1917 to join the British Forces to fight in WWI. To join the first fight in Finland/Norway, he took help of Churchill to secure a commission in British Army.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Satvahana t3_zo98qb
Submitted by Dsarkela t3_ywf2xz
TIL that the ancient Mayan city of Caracol in modern-day Belize was founded in 1200 BCE, held more than double the population of the largest current day city in Belize (of 61,461), and the one of its temples, Caana, built ~9th century CE, is still the tallest building in the country today.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by embrace-monke t3_zq4cwl
TIL of Africa, Ohio, USA, the only town in the world named after the Underground Railroad, the series of networks to help slaves escape Southern US slave states. The name is derived from a mocking comment from a pro-slavery neighbor referring to the the community of escaped slaves there as Africa.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by vrphotosguy55 t3_111eaha