› added 7 months ago

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TIL Kinshasa is the most populated city in Africa with an estimated population of over 16 million people

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YpJAv TIL of George Willig, who climbed the South Tower of World Trade Center on May 26, 1977. As his stunt was not officially scheduled, New York City wanted to fine him $250k for for "the inconvenience the stunt caused". However, the mayor of New York fined him just $1.10, one cent for every floor.
AGYn TIL that Maxamillian Kolbe was a Polish priest who volunteered to die in the place of a man in Auschwitz after he overheard him cry out for his wife and children. The man he saved, Mr. Gajowniczek, died in 1995 at the age of 93.
XYZk TIL that actress Hedy Lamarr was also a prolific inventor. One of her inventions allowed for guided torpedoes in WWII. But because the Navy wasn’t receptive to ideas coming outside the military, it wasn’t implemented during the war. Her idea went to later be basis for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, & CDMA.
JJlv TIL A recent study showed 25% of US drivers making a turn failed to use signals correctly. 48% of US lane changers failed to use signals. Such failures are responsible for up to 2M preventable accidents a year.
5V0ZR TIL that Windows in Japan has anime-girl mascots called OS-tans. Each of them has the surname of Madobe (窓辺, meaning By the Windowside) and a new one is created for each operating system starting with Windows 7. They have had various tie in products over the years in addition to promoting Windows OS