› added 4 years ago

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TIL that German expertise was critical for Saddam Hussein's development of chemical weapons. For a decade Germans built facilities, factories, and sold 1,027 ton of precursors for mustard gas and sarin. 52% of Iraqi CW equipment had German origin and equated to 150 ton mustard gas and 60 ton Tabun.

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b9GXZ TIL Conan, a military dog who took part in the raid on Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was named after Conan O'Brien. He chased after Baghdadi before Baghdadi detonated his suicide vest.
a8kwA TIL During a period of 10 months in 1898, a pair of Lions killed 135 railway workers in Kenya and became known as the 'Tsavo Man Eaters'. During the hunt, one lion had to be shot 9 times. They both became the floor rugs of the hunter until sold to a Natural History Museum.
Za0o TIL that in Oregon, a citizen may issue a traffic ticket to law enforcement officers
KGY9 TIL a ship called the HMS Black Joke used to chase down and fight slave traders.
wo6jP TIL that knocking on wood was a thing because people used to believe that spirits lived in trees and knocking would give you luck.