› added 6 years ago

66

TIL that in April 1917, the average life expectancy for a british pilot on the western front was 69 flying hours.

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xVRwg TIL Parkinson’s disease may originate in the gut
OnBR TIL Bill Gates was recruited to write the class scheduling software for his high school. He used that power to place himself in classes with more female students.
yQegX TIL Sacha Baron Cohen left the Freddie Mercury biopic over creative differences with Queen; he was told Mercury died in the middle of the film. Impressed, he thought they meant a non-linear story structure like Pulp Fiction but realized the second half would be how the band “carried on.”
GAMWj TIL that seagulls have a special gland that allows them to drink saltwater without getting dehydrated. This gland filters out the salt, which they then excrete through their nostrils. I found it fascinating because it shows how well-adapted these birds are to their coastal environments!
Lmov TIL Tony Iommi lost the tips of his middle and ring finger in an accident at the age of 17. He ended up tuning his strings to lower pitches so that the thimbles he had fitted could bend the strings more easily. This lead to Black Sabbath’s distinctive sound and the invention of heavy metal.