› added 11 years ago

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TIL during the Siege of Leningrad in WWII, 9 Soviet scientists died of starvation while protecting the world’s largest seed bank, refusing to eat what they saw as their country’s future.

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D1GaD TIL in 2014 a man from Oklahoma City killed his stepfather with an "atomic wedgie" - he stretched his stepdad's waistband over his head and around the neck, leaving ligature marks around his neck and blood splatter in several spots in the room.
R5lk4 TIL that salmon sex can literally "move mountains". A WSU researcher linked salmon sex to geological change
Zp9B TIL the guards at the maximum security prison in Walpole went on strike in 1973 due to “excessively humane” prison reforms. They left all the cells unlocked, but instead of escaping, the prisoners formed a self functioning anarchist society for 3 months.
9Y6yX TIL that legendary mountain man Jim Bridger loved telling tall tales, his favorite being the story about his pursuit by 100 Cheyenne warriors ending in him being closed in at the end of a canyon. At this point he would stop, and when inevitably asked what happened next, would reply "they killed me."
eX76 TIL that Air Force One is not a single plane but is simply the name for whatever plane the president happens to be on.