/f/todayilearned
Submitted by Hrtzy t3_zl75dj
TIL Vichy Pastilles were a digestive aid turned confectionery invented in 1825. The Vichy Regime of WW2 used the sweets as propaganda and did not ration them, unlike other foodstuffs. The name of the sweets is known to make some French citizens uneasy.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by jamescookenotthatone t3_y9pgii
TIL: In 1567, Hans Steininger, an Austrian politician known for his long flowing beard said to be seven feet long, died by tripping over his beard. After his death, the townspeople built him a statue and preserved his beard in glass. It is now in the District Museum Herzogsburg.
kingsmenpremium.comSubmitted by Flares117 t3_126a8t9
TIL that the "Super Ballon d'Or" is the name of a former prize that was awarded on December 24, 1989, by the French football magazine France Football for the best football player of the last three decades. This award has been given only once, and Alfredo Di Stéfano is the only winner.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Knight_TheRider t3_zzvctq
TIL in 1954, Ann Hodges was struck by a meteorite that crashed through her ceiling. A piece of it was found by a farmer who sold it & bought *a house & a car*. Ownership was disputed & she was unable to sell it, despite paying $500 to the other claimant & she ended up donating it to a museum.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Ihavepurpleshoes t3_z8z28u
TIL 15th century Korea developed the Geobukseon (turtle ship), a warship roofed with spiked plates to prevent boarding actions. Each Geobukseon was also designed with a dragon head on the bow that hid a cannon or could release smoke to inspire terror or cover ship movements.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by BitterFuture t3_1004zxn
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 that Hawaii was a sovereign self-governing kingdom all the way up until 1893, totally unassociated with the U.S., until a coup d'état that year by 13 businessmen and 162 U.S. troops, with the openly stated goal of annexing the islands. (They succeeded.)
nvlchawaii.orgSubmitted by DramaGuy23 t3_1281rqj