› added 4 years ago

93

TIL Apollo astronaut Edgar Mitchell took home a 16 mm camera from the Lunar Module that would have otherwise been destroyed. Mitchell tried to auction the camera to help medical treatments for his son who had cancer before he agreed to relinquish the camera by donating it to the Smithsonian

Read more palmbeachpost.com

via reddit.com

nepxr TIL A thin layer of gold on NASA astronaut's helmet visor fends off dangerous effects of solar radiation. Satellite microelectronics that instantaneously relay data around the globe also depend on gold components to ensure reliable, corrosion-resistant and static-free performance.
jrEQ TIL Al Yeganeh, the inspiration behind “The Soup Nazi”, hated his portrayal on the famous Seinfeld episode. When Jerry Seinfeld and the production team went to his restaurant for lunch, Yeganeh kicked them out, yelling “No soup for you!”
7rLwZ TIL that in 1861, Japan had an illustrated history of America which depicted, among other things, John Adams stabbing a giant snake, and George Washington punching a Tiger.
XvvR TIL that in 2010 George Lucas said “I am dedicating the majority of my wealth to improving education. It is the key to the survival of the human race.“ Two years later, Lucas sold Lucasfilm Ltd. to Disney for 4.05 billion dollars and donated the proceeds to a charity that focuses on education.
BeZe TIL Ronald Reagan got the most votes of any candidate during the 1968 Republican Presidential Primaries, but Richard Nixon won the nomination.