› added 12 years ago

181

TIL that one teaspoon of the bacterium C. botulinum, properly distributed, could kill every single human being in the US.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

QJpbp TIL that "Tom's Diner" was the first song ever converted to MP3. "This song was chosen because of its nearly monophonic nature and wide spectral content, making it easier to hear imperfections in the compression format during playbacks. Some refer to Suzanne Vega as "The mother of MP3""
6ENZJ TIL the Unabomber was a math prodigy, started at Harvard at 16, and received his Masters and his PhD in mathematics by the time he was 25. He also had an IQ of 167.
0da9y TIL, In 2009, the remains of an unknown Union soldier, believed to be between 17 and 19 years old, were discovered on the Antietam National Battlefield and identified as a New York volunteer, were found in the Cornfield, and were returned to New York for burial with full military honors.
8reP TIL in 2014 Congress spent $120 million on tanks even though the Military repeatedly told them they have no use for them. For the second time.
dVx9 TIL Just 3 years after the Civil War a man walked 1400 miles through the former Confederate states with a Union flag to disprove claims of lingering hatred.