› added 1 month ago

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TIL about the Svalbard Seed Vault - a secure backup facility to preserve a wide variety of plant seeds, safeguarding global crop diversity against potential disasters.

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via reddit.com

j6pjX TIL in Khmer Rouge Cambodia, Cambodians of Chinese descent were massacred by the Khmer Rouge under the justification that they "used to exploit the Cambodian people". Despite this, the Chinese government did not protest the killings, and provided at least 90% of Cambodia's foreign aid.
Wab4 TIL that the Wahgi people of Papua New Guinea paint their shields with images of the Phantom comic book character after American GIs shared their comic books with tribe members during World War II
p8rdA TIL about 1/3 of new cars no longer come with a spare tire. While some have run-flat tires, having no spare tires decreases weight and increases fuel economy.... and also quietly saves car companies millions of dollars a year
D1OWP TIL that Goliath from "David and Goliath" might have suffered from visual field restriction (bitemporal hemianopsia) as a consequence of the brain tumor that caused his gigantism. He was likely easy pickings for the small and nimble David.
BgXNx TIL that it takes 2 days for an F-35 pilot to get fitted for their helmet.