› added 7 months ago

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TIL Russia has leased a 12-mile circle of Kazakhstan named Baikonur. Its purpose is for space operations.

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LoJr TIL that Magpies are the smallest animal proven to recognize themselves in a mirror. Human Children recognize their own reflection from 15 to 18 months, before then seeing the reflection as a “sociable playmate”
GYdoG TIL of Vladimir Bukovsky, who spent a total of 12 years in psychiatric hospitals, labour camps, and prisons of the Soviet Union. During his time in prison he co-wrote a manual instructing victims of political psychiatry how to behave during interrogation to avoid being diagnosed as mentally ill.
rRBao TIL Queen Elizabeth II was tricked into conducting a 17-minute telephone conversation with a Canadian radio DJ/impressionist who she believed to be the then Canadian Prime Minister, Jean Chretien.
jbNa TIL that in 1997, 14 year old Nathan Zohner was able to get 43 out of 50 of his classmates to vote to ban “Dihydrogen Monoxide” for his science fair project. His project aimed to prove that the use of true facts can lead the ignorant public to false conclusions. He won first prize.
lo6o5 TIL that the Trollface meme creator registered the said meme in 2010. As of 2015, he has already earned a little over $100,000 in licensing fees, settlements, and other payouts.