› added 5 years ago

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TIL that in 1966 after failing for 3 years to extinguish a gas well fire Soviet authorities decided to use a 30kt atomic bomb. It was detonated at a depth of 1,500m, crushing the well and extinguishing the flames in seconds. Following this success the same technique was use on 4 other well fires.

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VMaEZ TIL that before being retconned as an Italian like Mario, Wario was intended to be German: in his early voiced appearances, he says "So ein Mist!" (the German equivalent of "aw, crap!") when defeated.
GO9g TIL while prostitution is legal in Queensland Australia, advertising said services by skywriting is not.
1AQr TIL Orson Welles once hired an all-black cast playing MacBeth in 1948, trying to give black actors a chance without being funny or exotic, playing the classics.
7bkp TIL that 3 years after illegally joining the Marines at the age of 14, Jacklyn Lucas snuck onto a ship bound for Iwo Jima, stormed the beach without a rifle, and threw himself on top of two grenades to protect his team. He survived, and earned the Medal of Honor at the age of 17.
P10jL TIL that Martha’s Vineyard is one of only 5 natural place names that the U.S. Board on Geographic Names has allowed to include an apostrophe.