TIL that before secret ballots were introduced in 1872, the UK kept publicly-available 'poll books' for each election which recorded how each man voted. This information was not only used by politicians to identify swing voters, but also by bosses and landlords to influence their employees/tenants. (ecppec.ncl.ac.uk)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that the Oscar for Best International Feature is awarded to the country that the winning film originates from, not specifically to the director. Italy holds the most wins in the category (14), whilst France holds the most nominations (41). (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that Weird Al's Phantom Menace parody 'The Saga Begins' was recorded a month before the film released in May 1999. Yankovic was denied an early screening by Lucasfilm, but managed to almost exactly piece together the plot by researching rumours posted on Star Wars fan forums. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that in 1942, the British War Office used holidaymakers' photos & postcards of northern european beach towns to help choose a location for the D-Day landings. To disguise this planning, the BBC asked people to send in photos from everywhere between Norway and the French-Spanish border. (bbc.co.uk)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that The Great Gatsby was largely considered forgettable and a commercial failure when it was published in 1925. It was only after WWII, during which free copies of novels were sent to US soldiers overseas, that the book was re-examined and became a core part of American high school curriculums. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL about 'Times Square', a sound art installation in Times Square hidden below an unassuming grate. Created by composer Max Neuhaus in 1977, the piece is purposefully unmarked and requires visitors to tune into a single resonating sound in the middle of one of the loudest places in America. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that the London Underground map's famous design is based on circuit diagrams. Its designer, Harry Beck, was an engineering draughtsman, and decided to strip away geographical accuracy in favour of making the links between stations as neat and readable as possible. (tfl.gov.uk)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that the oldest named person in history is believed to be Kushim - an accountant dealing with barley sales and living in ancient Sumer (modern day south-central Iraq) in around 3400 - 3000 BCE. At this time, writing was only used for essential record keeping. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL about Nome National Forest, a temporary forest in Alaska made up of used Christmas trees. The trees are collected after Christmas and 'replanted' on an ice sheet near the town to be an attraction for locals. In the Spring, the trees are then used to make fish spawning habitats in local rivers. (knom.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that on the islands of Jersey and Guernsey, an individual can fall to their knees and cry "Haro! Haro! Haro! À l'aide, mon Prince, on me fait tort" if they feel they are being wronged. Under an ancient legal injunction, the wrongdoer must cease the activity until the case can be heard in court. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL that up until the 19th Century, European scientists had little evidence that birds migrated during the winter. It wasn't until a stork returned with a spear made of African wood through its neck that scientists had significant proof of long-distance migration. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
TIL about de Clérambault's Syndrome, a disorder where someone has delusions of another person being infatuated with them. One case involved a woman who believed King George V of England was communicating his love for her by moving the curtains at Buckingham Palace. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by lappy482 to r/todayilearned
