› added 11 years ago

155

TIL that in late 2004, Samsung had the opportunity to buy Android, but passed on the investment because they did not see any potential. Google acquired it two weeks later.

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D1GbV TIL the United States of America not only used the Marshall Islands as a nuclear bomb test site, but also used the Natives as Guinea pigs for their radioactive experiments.
N1lb TIL of diamond fluorescence which effects about 30% of diamonds and causes them to glow under UV light.
XEBkE TIL The opening monologue for Star Trek was written after several episodes had already been produced and only shortly before the series debuted. Gene Roddenberry's original version was not used.
Eg5Zw TIL that in 2004, 1/3 of the men in the Pitcairn Islands were accused of assault. Their defense rested on the fact that British sovereignty of the islands was illegitimate, as the colonists were descended from Royal Navy mutineers. A new Court had to be created specifically to have jurisdiction.
LkAlV TIL that the middle finger is offensive because the finger represents a penis, and the curled fingers around it represent the testicles. By flipping someone off, you are offering them a phallic gesture.