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TIL the term "ZIP" code is actually an acronym for Zone Improvement Plan, was introduced in the 40's only for large cities, and was a signature mark for the USPS to give the impression that the mail would "zip" along faster if citizens used it.

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Z8GaQ TIL that the beautiful symmetry of a total solar eclipse happens because —by pure chance— the sun is 400 times larger than the moon, but is also 400 times farther from Earth, making the two bodies appear the exact same size in the sky.
GY5Rj TIL There is an annual Olympiad for high school Chemistry. It began in 1968 in Prague, and had 3 countries participate. It now includes 75 countries, each sending one student team of 4. There is a practical exam, followed by a written exam. Both can be up to 5 hours in length.
jNZZv TIL American artist Chris Burden Had himself shot in the arm by a friend, as a part of a performance art piece called "Shoot"(1971) and when questioned about the work on BBC in 2012, he said "I had an intuitive sense that being shot is as American as apple pie".
vebR TIL there exists a live operating system, that you can start on almost any computer – TAILS aims at preserving your privacy and anonymity, and helps you to: use the Internet anonymously and circumvent censorship, leave no trace on the computer you are using, use state-of-the-art cryptographic tools
9Lr6 TIL In the ’60s, Australia lost a prime minister and could not find him. He disappeared and was never found.