› added 2 months ago

11

TIL that at room temperature, air molecules vibrate at roughly 1,100 mph (~500m/s) — about 50% faster than the speed of sound.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

R548j TIL of the antimony pill, aka the everlasting pill, used in the 18th and early 19th century for stomach relief. It was reusable after pooping it out, making it very cost effective. Entire families used the same pill, which some times went through multiple generations
j6MnE TIL Decomposing leaves can trap in nitrous oxide (i.e. "laughing gas") which deer will sometimes get high on when digging them up
NXb9e TIL: A Stanford study showed that most humans are aroused by robots. Participants were hooked up with electric sensors and were asked by a robot to touch it in 13 areas. 90% showed arousal when touching the butt or crotch. The research has implications for artificial systems and robot design.
Xr4Q TIL that larger birds such as geese fly in “V ” formation, because the whole flock adds at least 71% greater flying range than if each bird flew on its own. Also, the geese honk from behind to encourage those up front to keep up their speed.
18mD TIL a Canadian female astronaut was sexually assaulted by a cosmonaut on a training mission. She reached out to the CSA and was told, “That kind of behavior is normal for Russians, and it would be too taboo to complain publicly.”