› added 2 years ago

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TIL that when Saddam Hussein was hiding in bunkers too deep for any bomb in the US inventory, the US filled an entire 16-foot hardened steel artillery barrel with explosives, welded fins to it and airdropped it, creating the first 'Bunker Buster'. Iraq withdrew from Kuwait the very next day.

mylx TIL that in 2016, Celine Dion stood near the open casket of her deceased husband for 7 hours to greet and comfort complete strangers who had arrived to pay their respects at the public visitation held on the eve of his funeral. She was only expected to stay for 30 minutes.
Yp8nZ TIL about British Double Summer Time. During WW2, after moving an hour forward for DST in 1940, they didn’t roll back in fall. They moved forward again in spring of ‘41, resulting in being 2 hours ahead. It helped people finish their day and get home with some extra light during enforced blackouts.
yQDdl TIL about Okinawa Island. This particular island is a so-called Blue Zone, an area where the people live longer than most others elsewhere in the world. As of 2002 there were 34.7 centenarians for every 100,000 inhabitants, which is the highest ratio worldwide.
KYQVa TIL there is an annual fashion show in Australia for ducks
ZpLB TIL that smoking shouldn’t have been banned on airplanes because they recycled the air more frequently w/smokers in the cabin. Now, airborne viruses and bacteria are much more harmful and CO2 levels are higher–all to save airline companies money.