› added 7 years ago

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TIL in 1504 a German knight named Götz von Berlichingen lost his right arm when enemy cannon fire forced his own sword against him. He had two mechanical hands made for him, capable of holding a shield to a feathered pen. He was then known as Götz of the Iron Hand.

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7r1yb TIL Neil Armstrong and Aldrin were almost stranded on the moon because they broke a vital circuit breaker, snapping power to the engine. They finally managed to push and hold it back in with a felt-tip pen long enough for it to work.
wolG6 TIL that although brothels are legal in much of Nevada, about 90% of the prostitution that occurs in the state is illegal
mxo7M TIL aircraft manufacturers use specialized cannons to fire whole dead chickens at planes in order to simulate bird strikes
RRK4 TIL the king of Thailand used to give “White elephant gifts” to obnoxious courtiers. The recipient would be ruined by the present because they had to care for the animal.
p8gnA TIL that before British rule, India represented 30% of global GDP, by their independence it dropped to 2%. At the same time, Britain's share of the world economy rose from 2.9% in 1700 up to 9% in 1870 alone