The first ever patent in the UK was Aaron Rathbone & Roger Burges, Map makers in 1618!
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In 1963, the US Military created an artificial ring around Earth, similar to that of the planet Saturn. The ring was made of copper needles and was used for worldwide communications in the case that the Soviets disabled all other methods of communication.
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Ancient Greeks believed that redheads turned into vampires after they died.
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There are pictures of Knights fighting Snails in old Medieval manuscripts - and nobody knows why.
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During WW2, captured German officers were sent to Britain as POWs and lived in luxury in Trent Park. This was done to make them feel relaxed. However, they were being listened to by 100 ‘listeners’. They revealed secrets about the holocaust, events in Berlin, Hitler's madness and V2 rocket bases.
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There was a bear called Wojtek who was adopted by Polish soldiers during WW2. It carried ammunition, wrestled with soldiers, and drank beer.
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The University of Oxford (teaching since 1096) predates the Aztec empire (1428 - 1521).
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