/u/OceansOnPluto's posts in /r/AskHistorians

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What did contemporary victorian Londoners think of the London fog? Did they understand it was due to industrial pollution or did they think it was an environmental phenomenon?

2549 upvotes

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To what extent did the Native Americans use mathematics? Were there any known Native American mathematicians, either before or after Columbus?

857 upvotes

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I recently read Westminster Abbey was so dirtied by the london fog for decades that it's facede was black until the 1980s, when it was cleaned. What was the public's reaction to it being restored to it's natural gold color?

763 upvotes

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How well known was Leonardo Da Vinci at the zenith of his career? Would the average italian peasant have been aware of him?

513 upvotes

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The modern portrayal of a harem is a sultan's multiple beautiful slaves residing in a luxurious house and awaiting his pleasure. I understand this is a misconception, but did anything like that ever exist anywhere?

226 upvotes

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The recipe for waffles is relatively simple, so I assume it has many antecedents, but where did the distinctive grid pattern come from?

198 upvotes

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According to wikipedia, the five oldest companies in the world were all formed in Japan. Is there a socioeconomic reason for this, or is it a coincidence?

112 upvotes

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Of all the heavy things in the world, why did anvils become the thing that cartoon characters drop on each other?

85 upvotes

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When did prison uniforms change from black and white stripes to orange jumpsuits, and why?

42 upvotes

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I read somwhere that in 1200AD, less than one percent of the people in the western world knew how to divide. Is this true?

41 upvotes

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Title	Upvotes	Mark as read	Favorited	Rating	Add to a list
What did contemporary victorian Londoners think of the London fog? Did they understand it was due to industrial pollution or did they think it was an environmental phenomenon?	2549
To what extent did the Native Americans use mathematics? Were there any known Native American mathematicians, either before or after Columbus?	857
I recently read Westminster Abbey was so dirtied by the london fog for decades that it's facede was black until the 1980s, when it was cleaned. What was the public's reaction to it being restored to it's natural gold color?	763
How well known was Leonardo Da Vinci at the zenith of his career? Would the average italian peasant have been aware of him?	513
The modern portrayal of a harem is a sultan's multiple beautiful slaves residing in a luxurious house and awaiting his pleasure. I understand this is a misconception, but did anything like that ever exist anywhere?	226
The recipe for waffles is relatively simple, so I assume it has many antecedents, but where did the distinctive grid pattern come from?	198
According to wikipedia, the five oldest companies in the world were all formed in Japan. Is there a socioeconomic reason for this, or is it a coincidence?	112
Of all the heavy things in the world, why did anvils become the thing that cartoon characters drop on each other?	85
When did prison uniforms change from black and white stripes to orange jumpsuits, and why?	42
I read somwhere that in 1200AD, less than one percent of the people in the western world knew how to divide. Is this true?	41