› added 4 years ago

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TIL that it is illegal to not stop for gas on the German Autobahn, and there's a subsequent fine imposed too. "Running out of fuel is considered an avoidable occurrence, as by law there are petrol stations directly on the autobahn approximately every 50–55 km"

gr17y TIL the Night Stalker killed Peter Pan. His 16th victim.
6EBml TIL that in the 1940s and 1950s, hundreds of thousands of members of the US armed forces were exposed to ionizing radiation from nuclear testing during active duty. These "atomic veterans" were sworn to secrecy, and many received no treatment or compensation for the illnesses they later developed.
PYlmw TIL Christopher Lee was the only member of the L.O.T.R. cast who personally met Tolkien. Tolkien gave him the blessing to play Gandalf but Lee's ability to play villains later convinced Peter Jackson to offer him the role of Saruman.
k75g TIL that in 1950 ‘One of the largest human experiments in history’ was conducted on unsuspecting residents of San Francisco by the US military in a germ-warfare simulation and Nuremberg Code violation that utilized the Bay Area’s iconic fog to help spread two kinds of bacteria over the city.
R7WW8 TIL that Sean Connery was targeted by a gang in Edinburgh in the 1950s. 6 gang members followed him up to a 15-foot high balcony. He singlehandedly beat them up. He grabbed one by the throat and another by the biceps and cracked their heads together. After, they treated him with great respect.