/f/todayilearned
TIL that the Hemlock Water Dropwort is the most poisonous plant in the UK. Its poison constricts the muscles, causing death by asphyxia, which also causes a rictus like death grin. Use of this plant in Phoenician Sardinia for executions is the origin of the term "Sardonic Grin".
wildfooduk.comSubmitted by AspireAgain t3_11zroqu
TIL that in WW2, a Marine Corps Corsair pilot used his propeller to chew off the tail of an enemy aircraft after his guns jammed, while under fire from the enemy plane's tailgunner. The enemy plane crashed but the Corsair pilot made it back to base, receiving the Navy Cross for his actions.
valor.militarytimes.comSubmitted by hipster_deckard t3_11v227u
TIL that certain BEST Products stores were built with unique & controversial architecture. Stores such as the "Peeling Building", "Forest Building", "Tilt Building", "Inside/Outside Building" and others helped generate commercial success for the company at the time. (Zoomable store photos on link)
archdaily.comSubmitted by Sandstorm400 t3_11wszsb
Submitted by iamasinglepotassium t3_126mz9g
TIL: "Jamaica Mistaica" is a song Jimmy Buffett wrote about the time Jamaican police shot his plane. The plane was also carrying U2's Bono when police, suspecting it was being used to smuggle drugs, began shooting. The plane (and its bullet holes) is now displayed at Buffett's Margaritaville.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by theotherbogart t3_11whmns
TIL that Mattiedna Johnson, born to Mississippi sharecroppers in 1918, used techniques she’d used to make things like butter, jam and soap on her childhood farm to develop techniques to capture and preserve molds for research that eventually helped in the development of drugs to fight scarlet fever.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by RedditPrat t3_126093h
TIL a special law in the UK was created to ensure that the Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital will forever be able to collect royalties from stage performances, audiobooks, book releases, etc. of Peter Pan in the UK. This is the only work with an 'exception' to copyright laws.
gosh.orgSubmitted by [deleted] t3_126e6pb