› added 7 years ago

132

TIL that in 1950, to test the potential impact of a biological attack, the US Navy released a supposedly harmless bacteria over San Francisco, hospitalizing several people and killing one.

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9wDeX TIL the Peace Sign is actually the letters N and D in flag sephamore, which stands for "Nuclear Disarmament".
0yBy TIL That Napoleon commissioned the development of a system that would allow his troops to communicate at night in the front lines, which was eventually taught to and perfected by 12 year old student Louis Braille.
e0aJE TIL about the attempt to colonize Panama by Scotland in 1698. An utter failure, 20% of the wealth of Scotland was lost in addition to the deaths of thousands of colonists.
VeO8 TIL that Napoleon’s great-great-great Grand Nephew still claims the throne and works as an investment banker in New York
LkW8V TIL that a British officer who fought in WW1 was struck by lightning 4 times in his lifetime. The third strike paralyzed him completely and eventually killed him. The fourth one struck his grave, shattering his tombstone.