Your Weird Political Fact Of the Day

[MrPotatoTed]

The first dinosaur fossil was discovered in 1677 -- but their best guess at the time was that it had belonged to a giant human.
 

We didn't really figure out what dinosaurs were until 1842.
 

This means that George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe, James Madison, and William Henry Harrison all died without any clue that dinosaurs had ever existed.

The first ex-President with any chance of knowing about dinosaurs was John Quincey Adams, who died six years after their discovery, though I'm not aware of actual confirmation that he knew.

The sitting President when they were discovered was John Tyler.

And now you know!

[vcczar]

7 minutes ago, MrPotatoTed said:

and William Henry Harrison all died without any clue that dinosaurs had ever existed.

That's why the trilateral commission told him to give a long inauguration speech without a coat and hat, so he'd never know. 

[MrPotatoTed]

1 hour ago, Patine said:

There is strong suspicion that such fossils were found earlier, and not confused for overly-large human, but led to Medieval European, Pre-Islamic Iranian, and Old East Asian myths of, "Dragons."

That's interesting.  It also means A Song of Ice and Fire (the "Game of Thrones" books which begin in a world where dragons existed but are extinct...and are later brought back to life) are actually a medieval fantasy version of Jurassic Park.  ;c)