› added 10 years ago

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TIL That the X-rays from an atomic bomb are so powerful, they can compress lithium until it causes a fusion explosion… even without the shockwave. Its called a “Teller-Ulam” nuclear weapon, and it uses an atomic bomb as a “spark plug”.

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nWkvb TIL of Jonathan Wild. He was a underworld figure notable for operating on both sides of the law, posing as a vigilante entitled the Thief-Taker General. He simultaneously ran a significant criminal empire, and used his crimefighting role to remove rivals and launder the proceeds of his own crimes.
rR5n0 TIL Pîhtokahanapiwiyin, or Poundmaker, who successfully pushed back a Canadian military force and instead of continuing the fight, he surrendered himself to the British government stating, "Had I wanted war, I would not be here now. I should be on the prairie. You did not catch me. I gave myself up.
M7Jga TIL surgical scrubs are green and blue to provide eye relief and a visual contrast to the pinks and reds the surgeon is focusing on
JvPj TIL Chinese during the Great Depression embraced stereotypes by adding fake opium dens to Chinatowns along with other Chinese sterotypes in order to bring in Tourist and money
Lkrkd TIL about Mobutu Sese Seko, the military dictator of Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of the Congo) from 1965 to 1997. Mobutu was supported by the U.S government as an anti-Communist force in Africa, while his regime is regarded as one of the worst in terms of human rights violations