/f/todayilearned
TIL In 1943, a Luftwaffe pilot came across a crippled B-17 trying to make it home after a bomb run. Instead of shooting it down, the German pilot escorted it home. The pilots met up 50 years later and became friends, and both died within a few months of each other
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Free-Permit-1188 t3_yog3fc
TIL that in 1518, in the small French town of Strasbourg, a young woman named Frau Troffea started dancing uncontrollably in the street. Her dancing continued for days & on the 3rd day, her shoes were soaked with blood. She attracted 30+ people to join her, which catalyzed the Dancing Plague of 1518
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by DilankaMcLovin t3_yo8976
TIL that Alan Turing, the mathematician renowned for his contributions to computer science and codebreaking, converted his savings into silver during WW2 and buried it, fearing German invasion. However, he was unable to break his own code describing where it was hidden, and never recovered it.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Mega_Dunsparce t3_yjbjga
TIL the British had a secret WW2 plan called Operation Tracer to leave behind an observation post if the Germans captured Gibraltar. Six men were to be sealed inside a hidden chamber to observer the harbor and Strait of Gibraltar. They would have had 7 years of supplies and bicycle-powered radios.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by Bandit_the_Kitty t3_y25jre
TIL in the early 90s LL Cool J shared with his grandma that he couldn't survive as a rapper now that gangsta rap was popular. His grandma responded, "Oh baby, just knock them out!" which inspired him to write 'Mama Said Knock You Out' a grammy award winning certified platnum single.
en.wikipedia.orgSubmitted by shaka_sulu t3_xygtrq
TIL that it is unknown why the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded in Norway despite the other Nobel Prizes being awarded in Sweden. Alfred Nobel, who the awards were established in memory of, said that it should be that way in his will and gave no explanation as to why
nobelprize.orgSubmitted by RizhiM t3_xupq29
TIL a Berlin-based artist tricked Google Maps into thinking that a completely empty street was bursting with traffic by filling a wagon with 99 smartphones, opening Maps navigation on all of them, and then slowly pulling the wagon along Berlin streets.
interestingengineering.comSubmitted by The_Ry_Ry t3_xuh1bc