› added 3 months ago

16

TIL on January 25, 1979, Robert Williams became the first known robot fatality.

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ZpygD TIL South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone were asked to write the prequel to Dumb and Dumber. In an interview with Playboy in 2000, they explained they worked on it for two years, but they were too busy with South Park to finish it
BgVgb TIL The Persians had ancient refrigerators called "yakhchals" to preserve the ice and keep it cold underground until the summer, the yakhchal also had a ventilation system that allowed the cold air to enter and the warm air to escape, keeping the temperature inside low.
yVjQX Today I learned that Thomas Edison was prompted to conduct experiments on animals after SPCA founder Henry Bergh, Jr., contacted him to ask whether electrocution might provide a humane way of killing unwanted animals.
X0wVQ TIL Col. Shaw carried a famous sword into his final battle, depicted in the film Glory (1989). Thought to be stolen by a Confederate soldier after his death, it was actually retrieved by one of his black soldiers. The sword was kept in the Shaw family attic for over 150 years and is now at MASSHIST.
XB96 TIL A letter was sent to Martin Luther King, sounding as if coming from a disappointed admirer, urging King to kill himself or risk evidence of adultery being leaked. King believed it was from the FBI. The Senate’s Church Committee on intelligence overreach confirmed King’s suspicion.