TIL Highway hypnosis, also known as white line fever, is an altered mental state in which a person can drive a car, truck, or other automobile great distances, responding to external events in the expected, safe, and correct manner with no recollection of having consciously done so. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by gullydon
TIL the chicken nugget was invented in the 1950s by Robert C. Baker, a food science professor at Cornell University, and published as unpatented academic work. This bite-sized piece of chicken, coated in batter and then deep fried, was called the "Chicken Crispie" by Baker and his associates. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by jdward01
TIL bodies of victims from Pompeii's Vesuvius eruption didn't turn to stone. Rather, their bodies were enveloped in debris which hardened. The bodies decayed, leaving hollow cavities. During the first excavations, these cavities were filled with a plaster-like material, creating detailed replicas. (pompeiisites.org)
submitted by theshoddyone
TIL shortly after the rock band Great White began performing in 2003 at The Station in Rhode Island, their tour manager set off pyrotechnics whose sparks ignited flammable acoustic foam. Within six minutes of the ignition, the entire building was engulfed in flames—100 attendees died. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by WranglerVegetable512
TIL about Victoria Woodhull, the first female presidential candidate in U.S. history, who was a suffragist, women's rights advocate, entrepreneur, and political activist. Her campaign encountered obstacles due to her age and imprisonment on obscenity charges just before the election. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by theID10T
TIL that Hot Cheetos and Takis burned up the snack world in 2012, with schools in several states banning the foods as unhealthy and disruptive while confiscating them on site. That sparked a black market at some schools, with Takis becoming an underground currency. (usatoday.com)
submitted by AndyJack86
TIL of the Order of the Solar Temple, a New Age cult that claimed to be founded on the ideals of the Knights Templar. In 1994, they were responsible for the death of a 3 month old baby in Quebec; some time after, many members committed mass suicide in France, Switzerland and Canada. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Osrever101
TIL The Red Hot Chili Peppers recorded their album Blood Sugar Sex Magik in the mansion Harry Houdini allegedly once lived in, as the band wanted to record in an unusual setting to enhance their creative output. Drummer Chad Smith was convinced the house was haunted and refused to stay in the house. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by haddock420
TIL about the final episode of the TV show Howdy Doody. To save money the three different actors who played Clarabell the clown over the 13-year run were not allowed to speak, but communicated through mime and a horn. The series ended with Clarabell looking into the camera to say "Goodbye, kids." (groovyhistory.com)
submitted by marmorset