› added 3 years ago

131

TIL Anyone can apply to use the Hubble Space Telescope. The application process is open to worldwide competition without restrictions on nationality or academic affiliation.

Read more nasa.gov

via reddit.com

DQORp TIL: That the chorus of David Bowie's Starman is loosely based on Over The Rainbow from the film The Wizard Of Oz. Alluding to the Starman's extraterrestrial origins (over the rainbow), the octave leap on "Star-man" is identical to that of Judy Garland's "some-where" in Over The Rainbow.
b9JmZ TIL the deep meaning behind the 52 Cards in a complete deck. The 4 suits represent the 4 seasons, while the 52 cards represent the 52 weeks in a year. The 13 cards per suit represent the 13 lunar cycles in a year, and even the 365 days of the year are marked by the number of total points in a deck.
adwJ TIL Ralph Nader sued General Motors for harassment in 1970 after GM attempted to blackmail him to suppress his outspoken criticism of automobile safety. He won and used the $425m judgement to found an organization which was instrumental in the creation of OSHA and the Freedom of Information Act.
yVraw Today I learned that patriarchal surnames were uncommon in England before the Norman Invasion of 1066-1071.
D10xP TIL: Duke Ellington's signature tune, "Take the 'A' Train" was recovered from a trash can just in time before being gone forever. Composer Billy Strayhorn had discarded it as second rate.