› added 5 years ago

53

TIL about Rachel Carson, author of Silent Spring (1962). The book accused the chemical industry of spreading disinformation on the harmful effects of pesticides. The book is credited with inspiring the environmental movement, leading to the formation of the U.S Environmental Protection Agency

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Me1b TIL that the Basque language is so ancient that their word for axe, aizkora, literally means stone (held) high, or stone on top.
GAppg TIL the search and discovery of the Titanic was only allowed as to cover for searching for 2 US nuclear submarines that sunk in the 60s
ld5V TIL Switzerland is abbreviated to ‘CH’ because of its Latin name, ‘Confoederatio Helvetica.’ - Latin is also still used on stamps and coins
rRYYo TIL Countdown, the iconic UK gameshow which has run for 35 years to date, went no further than a pilot in the US, apparently because producers thought its premise was too "brainy" to appeal to the general American public.
Vlk TIL there is a man who repairs damaged areas of buildings and streets in his city with legos.