Polybook List View

Discover.

Collect.

Recall.

List

Thank you! Your submission has been received!

Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Add new fact

The Flying Tiger Squadron

American volunteer group of pilots who fought the Japanese on behalf of China in China WW2 from 1941 to 1942. Flew Curtis P-40B Warhawks. Lost 14 pilots while destroying 269 aircraft in combat. Won many Chinese medals.

China History Podcast, E152

Battle of Hattin

Battle of 3rd Crusade. Majority of Christian forces were killed or captured, allowing Muslim forces to gain power in the Holy Land. Crusaders we’re deprived of water & demoralised through Saladin’s tactics & surrendered

Beloved children’s author who gave the world Peter Rabbit. Grew up in a wealthy family with a large menagerie that inspired her stories. Wrote stories for governess’s children. Self-published first books. Lived on a farm

Expert on etiquette, novelist, journalist, and decorator. Wrote her guide to manners, Etiquette, in 1922. Name is synonymous with good manners. Wrote an advice column. Has influenced how generations of people behave.

Invasion of Channel Islands

German attack on Channel Islands. 34 civilians killed in initial attack on demilitarised islands. Only part of the British Isles under German control in WW2. No resistance to invasion by islanders. Held for 5 years.

Curiosity of a Child, E17

TWA Flight 800

Flight that exploded 12 minutes after takeoff because of electrical issues in a fuel tank. Some witnesses say they saw an explosion, inspiring theories that it was intentionally brought down. No survivors with 230 dead.

Midnight ceremony marking the transfer of sovereignty of Hong Kong to China. Hong Kong had been a British colony for 156 years. Dino-British Joint Declaration would go into effect that day, preserving Hong Kong autonomy.

China History Podcast, E110

The Korean War

On 25 June 1950 the KPA invaded South Korea and rapidly advanced southwards trapping South Korean and American troops in a small perimeter around the port of Pusan. The United Nations was quick to respond.

Stand in the Schoolhouse Door

The Stand in the Schoolhouse Door took place at Foster Auditorium at the University of Alabama on June 11, 1963. George Wallace, the Governor of Alabama, in a symbolic attempt to keep his inaugural promise of "segregati

GPT-3 is a robot that is capable of producing human-like text. It is produced by San Fransisco based artificial intelligence laboratory—OpenAI. Rivals language model produced by Microsoft called T-NLG.

Napoleon escapes with some 30,000 men, leaving a similar number stranded on the other side of the river who are captured by the Russians. A few days later, he leaves behind the remnants of his army and heads for Paris.

68,000 troops under Napoleon Bonaparte defeated a joint Russo-Austrian force of 90,000 at the Battle of Austerlitz. It was one of Napoleon’s greatest military victories which forced Austria to make peace with France.

Surrender at Yorktown

8000 British surrendered to George Washington after 17000 Americans and the French surrounded them in a siege and cutting off their supply of food and ammunition. This effectively ended the American Revolutionary War.

Churchill was a British politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom during the WWII from 1940-1945, and then again from 1951-1955. Was the leader of the Conservative Party. Also served in the army.

He was an American singer, songwriter and poet, who served as the lead vocalist of the rock band The Doors. Was known for his vocal range, lyrics, and exceedingly wild performances. Died at the age of 27 in Paris.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Great Smog of London

A lethal smog caused by industrial pollution and high-pressure weather conditions that covered London for five days in 1952. The consequential death of 12,000 people caused the introduction of the Clean Air Act 1956.

Encyclopedia Britannica

International Space Station

The largest human structure ever sent into space. It’s a multi-nation project which houses astronauts which conduct experiments and missions in low-Earth orbit. It has been home to a number of space records.

The Mariner 4 spacecraft made the closest approach to Mars and took the first photos of the Red Planet. It was expected to last eight months in orbit but ended up circling the planet for three years collecting data.

1953 Japanese film directed by Yasujirō Ozu. Stars Chishū Ryū and Chieko Higashiyama. Tells the story of a couple who visit Tokyo to meet their children, only to be neglected by them. Considered to be a masterpiece.

He was a German composer and pianist—who stands in history as one of the icons of classical music. Trivia: started losing his hearing in his 30s and was completely deaf by 1819. This did not stop him from making music.

He was a singer-songwriter—often remembered as the pioneers of rock and roll music. Hits included Johnny B. Goode and You Can Never Tell. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986. Died in 2017.

Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame

Mao Zedong

Chairman Mao was the leader of the People’s Republic of China. He built the political and social practice of Maoism, based from his communists beliefs. He died in 1976 and his body lies in a mausoleum in Tiananmen Square

China History Podcast, E4

Colin Kaepernick

An American football player and activist, who played for the San Francisco 49ers. Protested against racial injustice and police brutality by kneeling during American national anthem in NFL games. Currently a free agent.

This American singer and actor was known for song recordings like “Fly Me To The Moon“ (1964) and “My Way“ (1969). In his youth, Sinatra was charged with “seduction”, which led to an infamous mugshot of the performer.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Fall of the Berlin Wall

Fall of the Berlin Wall was an event in the Cold War that encompassed the demolition of the Berlin Wall—a barrier dividing the communist East Germany from West Germany. Bolstered the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Colossus was the first commercially produced set of electronic computers. Was produced by British engineers to decipher encrypted German transmissions in the World War II. Was designed by Tommy Flowers at Bletchley Park.

Computer History Museum

Boom Supersonic Jet

Boom Technology, Inc. American startup company designing a Mach 2.2 (1,300 kn; 2,300 km/h) 55-passenger supersonic transport with a range of 4,500 nmi (8,300 km).

"Sheean was wounded and, rather than abandon ship, he strapped himself to his Oerlikon (anti-aircraft gun) and began to engage the attacking aircraft even as the ship sunk beneath him. He shot down two planes.”

Novel coronavirus believed to originate from Wuhan, China in late 2019. Declared a global pandemic in Feb 2020, forcing many countries to impose strict lockdown rules in an attempt to slow the spred.

World Health Organization

Bobby Sands

A politician and member of the Provisional IRA, Sands is best known for his arrest and hunger strike while in jail. He died as a result of the strike, sparking protests and international attention on Northern Ireland.

A battle that brought the Burgundian and Frankish forces against the forces of the Umayyad Caliphate. The Franks won the war. Termed by some scholars as a decisive battle that stopped Umayyad advance into Europe.

Gandhi was an Indian anti-colonial leader who led a non-violent struggle against the British for India’a independence. His efforts led to the Indian independence in 1947. Symbol of civil rights all around the word.

Rashomon is a 1950 Japanese film directed by Akira Kurosawa. The plot revolves around the same event—the rape of a bride and the murder of her husband—told from different perspectives. Received international recognition.

Woodstock was a music festival that was held in Bethel, New York in 1969. 32 acts performed despite heavy rain, and the event attracted over 400,000 people. One of the defining events of the counterculture generation.

Jorge Francisco Isidoro Luis Borges Acevedo was an Argentine short-story writer, essayist, poet and translator, and a key figure in Spanish-language. His best-known books, Ficciones (Fictions) and El Aleph (The Aleph).

Paris was liberated from the Nazi forces in the World War II on the 25th of August 1944—the date marking the ‘Liberation of Paris’. End of 4 years of Nazi rule. The expedition was led by Charles de Gaulle.

Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel was a famous fashion designer and the founder of the fashion empire Chanel. She opened her first shop in Paris in 1910 and quickly became one of the most sought after fashion personalities.

The History Chicks, E98

The Batman Effect

Psychological trick employed by many performers, including Beyoncé and Adele. Creating a separate alter ego can help calm nerves and anxiety.

Nelson faced off against Napoleon's fleet on 1 August 1798 at Aboukir Bay in Egypt. It was a sea battle that allowed Nelson to cut his teeth as a commander, and became the most decisive battle for the Royal Navy to date.

The Cardiff Giant was one of the most famous hoaxes in American history. It was a 10-foot-tall (3.0 m) purported "petrified man" uncovered by workers digging a well behind the barn of William C. Newell.

An ultramarathan runner with a no lactate threshold. Due to random genetics, he has a 'superhuman' ability to clear lactate from his muscles so they never tire.

The first successful space flight to the Moon completed by astronauts, Neil Armstrong, Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin and Michael Collins. This mission won the US the space race and no other country has yet to make the journey.

The youngest daughter of Tsar Nicholas II, the last sovereign of Imperial Russia. Killed with her family by Bolsheviks in Yekaterinburg on July 17, 1918. Although rumors of her possible escape circulated after her death.

He was the first Prime Minister of independent DRC. He fought to free the country from Belgian colonial rule. He was captured and assassinated by his opposing factions, which were supported by Belgium and the USA.

U.S. Civil War battle that marked a turning point in favor of the Union army. Many casualties. Inspired Lincoln’s famous Gettysburg Address which shifted the civil war into a battle over freedom and equality.

First black and democratically-elected president of South Africa. He fought against the apartheid as part of the African National Congress and spent 27 years in prison. He became a symbol of peace and reconciliation.

Up to 1/3 of the worlds population could be infected by this brain parasite that originates from cats. Usually blocked by the bodies immune system, but occasionally results in depression and schizophrenia.

City in eastern Russia holds anti Kremlin protests against Putin following the ‘kidnapping’ of its governor by Moscow.

Hundreds of large, industrial vessels from China that don’t appear on monitoring systems, violating U.N. sanctions, caught almost half a billion dollars worth of haul in North Korean waters.

Perseverance Mars Mission

NASA recently launched its latest rover, Perseverance, on a seventh-month journey to Mars. It will touch down in the remains of an ancient Martian lake bed in Jezero Crater.

Post COVID-19 Streateries

These parking spaces turned outdoor restaurants are New York’s latest examples of COVID-19-inspired improvisational architecture — evidence of resourcefulness and creativity with limited means.

USS Indianapolis (CA-35)

Renowned as the worst US navy disaster. Torpedoed by a Japanese submarine, it sank in 12 minutes. 300 died instantly. 890 were left floating for 4 days, enduring exposure, dehydration and shark attack. Only 316 survived.

Also known as Kwame Ture, he was a civil rights activist, leader, early freedom rider and pan-africanist socialist. He fled to Ghana after being investigated by the FBI, later becoming an honoured citizen of Guinea.

Architect and designer at the forefront of the Art Nouveau movement in Spain. Gaudí's works are highly individual. Most are located in Barcelona, including his main work, the church of the Sagrada Família.

Apprenticed as a butcher, James Hind ran away to London to find his fortune. He ended up with the dubious accolade of ‘notorious highwayman’ and the subject of a forthcoming episode of Loremen Podcast

Arthur’s Seat Coffins

Some cheeky school boys found 17 miniature coffins up Edinburgh’s format volcano.

In France on April 1st they stick paper fish on each other’s backs.

Black Annis is a bogeyman figure in English folklore. A blue-faced hag or witch with iron claws and a taste for human flesh (especially children). She is said to haunt the countryside of Leicestershire, living in a cave

Tragic tale of a lost whale who thought it was a real boy, covered in Loremen Podcast

Witch Familiar - Tiny horse

A woman, Alice Hunt, accused of having familiars that were two tiny horses (Robbin and Jack) that were kept “in a pot by her bed”. Despite this testimony coming from a 9 year old and no horses found Alice was convicted

Reputedly the “most haunted castle” which is true, in that it was on the tv show “Most Haunted”. Not the most amount of ghosts, some clearly fictitious. Lots of skeletons, mind.

Fear of being buried alive, or being incorrectly labels dead, which sometimes happened. Safety coffins were designed to let the prematurely dead tell people they have been buried alive. Usually had bells attached.

The Harpe brothers (they were actually cousins) were two men who murdered their way through the western frontier of the United States in the late 18th century and are thought to have been America’s first serial killers

The Ministry of History

Phoenix Lights

UFOs seen over Arizona, Nevada, & Sonora over a 3 hour period & 300 miles. Thousands of people reported seeing lights. Most saw V-shape formation & stationary lights. Air Force claimed it was flares. Still unexplained

When political groups manipulate the boundaries of electoral districts in order to ensure victory. Basically picking your voters so you know you will win. Common in USA where redistricting happens every 10 years.

The Purple Heart Battalion

442nd Infantry Regiment of US Army. Only 2nd generation Japanese soldiers. Fought in Europe during WW2 despite Japanese internment in US. Most decorated unit in US military history. 18000 awards, 4000 Purple Hearts.

Hong Kong politician and activist. Former member of the Standing Committee of Demosistō and former spokesperson of Scholarism.

Engulfed by a volcanic eruption from Mount Vesuvius in AD 79. The eruption buried Pompeii in ash, freezing the city and its residents in time, and making it a rich source for archaeologists.

Stalin was Soviet politician who ruled the Soviet Union as the Secretary of the Communist Party from 1922-1952. His policies—a brand of Marxist-Leninism is known as Stalinism. Remembered as a despot and a dictator.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Poet and thinker of the enlightenment and romantic eras. Known for introduction of term morphology. Many of his writings revolved, scandalously, around sexuality and religion. Part of “sturm und drang” literary movement.

An American drama film directed and written by Orson Welles. Was nominated for 9 oscars, winning the Best Original Screenplay. Preserved in the American National Film Registry for its cultural and historical importance.

The Dutch writer, scholar and humanist is known as the first editor of the New Testament. He was an advocate of education and the human capacity for self-improvement who lived in various countries across Western Europe.

Matthew Croucher (Marine)

Threw himself on a grenade and survived with only a bloody nose. He used his backpack to smother the explosion, potentially saved the lives of 3 others. Continued fighting later that day.

Relationship that forms when a victim starts to bond with their captor. Named after bank robbery in Sweden where hostages were held for 6 days. Made famous by kidnapping of Patty Hearst, who joined her kidnappers.

Strategic Defense Initiative- “Star Wars”

Pres. Ronald Reagan’s defence system for inter-continental ballistic missiles. Hundreds of billions of dollars in cost. Possible reason for Soviet Union collapse. Was going to use lasers, light-gas guns & particle beams.

Early English palaeontologist. Known for Jurassic Era finds in Lyme Regis. Self-taught. Was not allowed into scientific orgs because of her gender. Made significant discoveries like first Ichthyosaurus & Plesiosaur.

The History Chicks, E124

Laura Ingalls Wilder

American writer known for “Little House” series of 9 books that tells fictional verison of her life story of growing up on American frontier. Became beloved children’s books. Supported women’s rights & was a libertarian.

The History Chicks, E02

Queen Lili’uokalani

1st Queen & last monarch of Hawaii. Wrote 160 songs. Brother was going to have Hawaii annexed to USA, but she fought back. In 2-year period she was imprisoned & Hawaii was invaded. Worked to keep Hawaiian culture alive.

The History Chicks, E97

Agrippina the Younger

1 of the most important women in the Julio-Claudian family. Sister, wife, niece, & mother to emperors. Believed to have poisoned Claudius so her son Nero could be emperor, who later had her killed. Powerful & ruthless.

The History Chicks, E73

Frida Kahlo

Mexican painter known for portraits & self-portraits. Tumultuous life with Diego Riviera. Work is inspired by nature & Mexican culture, that mixed reality & fantasy. 1st Mexican artist at Louvre. Unknown until 1970s.

The History Chicks, E42

Julia Child

Beloved American icon & TV personality. Popularised French cuisine in USA through her cookbook. Kitchen has been preserved in Smithsonian. Taught generations how to cook. Served in the OSS during WW2 & was a diplomat.

The History Chicks, E29

The Highland Clearances

Retaliation for Scottish Highland support of Bonnie Prince Charlie. Attempt to wipe out Gaelic traditions, language, & Celtic culture. Laws banned traditions, forced families to leave farms, & reduced the population.

The Ministry of History

Richard “Dick” Turpin

England’s most infamous highwayman. Poacher, burglar, horse thief, murderer. Romanticised hero. Robbed people regardless of their financial status. Was caught after shooting landlord’s rooster & giving a false name.

The Ministry of History

The Burke & Hare Murders

Murdered boardinghouse lodgers to sell their corpses for autopsies. Helped by their wives, the murders went on for a year, killing 16. Caught because they left a body out in their spare room- it was discovered by guests

The Ministry of History

Michael Malloy

Famous for surviving murder plots by a gang to get life insurance money. Tired to kill him through drinking, poisoning & eventually running him over with a car. Each morning he would return to bar, like nothing happened.

The Ministry of History

Mary Seacole

Jamaican daughter of Scottish soldier & free black woman. Nurse who set up private care “hotel”for soldiers in Crimean War. Popular among soldiers but ignored in press. Hotel bankrupted her, but she made the money back.

The Ministry of History

Great Molasses Flood

Tank that had been in disrepair burst. 2.3 million gallons in a 40ft wave spilled into the streets, travelling at 35mph. 21 people killed, 150 injured. Boston made it mandatory for construction to be checked by engineers

The Ministry of History

Virtual Case File Project

FBI’s upgraded computer system & network in early 2000s. VCF left agents upload investigative materials to central database. Ever-changing requirements inhibited software developers from doing their job. Project failed.

Horse who showed that he could calculate numbers, tell time, read & solve problems. Psychologist Carl Stumpf studied him & discovered Hans could read signals from people. Gave answers based on their facial expressions.

London Bridge of Arizona

19th century bridge was auctioned off to America millionaire Robert McCulloch. Rebuilt in his planned community in Arizona to attract investors. Original town is gone, but there are plans for development near the bridge.

Approach to medical care developed by Irihapeti Ramsden. Has been in New Zealand’s nursing curriculum since 1992. Have to take in account people’s cultural identities & power relationships between patient & provider.

Dead Ladies Show, E19

Irihapeti Ramsden

Maori nurse, writer, educator & anthropologist. Her thesis showed importance of cultural identities in health care, called “cultural safety”. Worked to improve health of Maori. Her techniques are part of nursing practice

Dead Ladies Show, E19

Flo Kennedy

Black radical feminist lawyer. Wore signature cowboy hat. Fought for intersectional feminism & inclusion of minority groups in feminist movement. Founder of Feminist Party, NOW, National Black Feminist Organisation

Dead Ladies Show, E23

Kingdom of Nri

Nigeria’s oldest existing monarchy. Cradle of Igbo civilisation. Pacifist theocracy with no standing army. Haven for runaway slaves during Atlantic slave trade. Founder is thought to be Eri, grandson of Biblical Jacob.

University of Sankore

Founded during Ghanaian Empire. Originally built as a madrasah. Courses were held in open courtyards. Students learned a trade along with academics. Houses over 70000 manuscripts in Arabic. Still teaching today.

Homestead Act of 1862

Laws that gave adult heads of households could get 160 acres of land free if you lived on the land for 5 years. How many settlers moved West. Most people were solely on their own. Many immigrants came West to have farms.

AKA Children’s Blizzard. Came without any warning. Thousands were caught unaware as storm struck in middle of the day. Most of the victims were children. 235 deaths. One of the worst storms in recorded US history.

Ethnographer, experimental archaeologist & explorer known for Kon-Tiki voyage. Excavated Easter Island & experimented on moai construction. His “Kon-tiki theory” claims Polynesian peoples originated in South America.

The Voyage Of The Kon Tiki

Thor Heyerdahl’s raft. Sailed from South America to Polynesian islands. Trip was to prove ancient people could navigate the Pacific Ocean & Polynesian people came from South America. Took 101 days to complete journey.

Built during the reign of Senusret I in Nubia. Part of the town of Miam. Similar to Buhen fortress. Rectangle-shaped, with wide ditches & separate walls. Now an archaeological site that has been flooded by Lake Nasser

Add new fact

Download the smartphone app to begin your personal collection.

Polybook Ltd

Cloud-based note-taking app in the e-learning / productivity space. Polybook is designed to work with your visual memory to aid recall. Currently available on iPhone. Android and browser versions coming soon.

Cloud-based note-taking app in the e-learning / productivity space.

Home FAQs Contact Privacy Policy Terms