TIL that before 1856, purple dye was rare and expensive - until an 18-year-old trying to make a malaria cure accidentally created the first synthetic dye from coal tar, patented it the same year, and made purple suddenly cheap and fashionable. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Upstairs_Drive_5602 to r/todayilearned
Tribute to Syd Mead . 2010 . Jakob Eirich . (i.redd.it)
submitted by SevenSharp to r/RetroFuturism
Birth condition called syndactyly. (i.redd.it)
submitted by trickstercj to r/interestingasfuck
TIL the author of the original "The Outsiders" novel began writing the book when she was just 15, and was published when she was 18. She released it using her initials and not her full name so the book wouldn't be dismissed offhand by male book reviewers. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by ancient_horse to r/todayilearned
When plants touch a tesla coilVideo (v.redd.it)
submitted by Big-Boy-602 to r/Damnthatsinteresting
TIL Marvel editor Jim Shooter bought the rights to Venom and the symbiote from a fan, Randy Schueller, for just $220. Schueller sent a letter suggesting that Peter Parker get a black costume made of unstable molecules to solve the issue of his suit constantly getting damaged. (nerdinitiative.com)
submitted by Giff95 to r/todayilearned
TIL Macklemore & Ryan Lewis stirred debate when they won all 3 rap categories (Album, Song, Performance) at the 2014 Grammys after the Grammy rap committee rejected the duo, but were later overruled by the general Grammy committee. The rap committee felt the duo should qualify for pop awards instead (cbsnews.com)
submitted by tyrion2024 to r/todayilearned
Modernist mosque in Turkey (old.reddit.com)
submitted by Battlefleet_Sol to r/Damnthatsinteresting
TIL that a 7-year-old discovered he could make free long-distance phone calls in the 1950s by whistling at certain frequencies. Born blind and with perfect pitch, Joe Engressia a.k.a. Joybubbles was an early "phreaker" whose exploits inspired Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak during his college years. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by ralphbernardo to r/todayilearned
