› added 11 years ago

83

TIL a barcode scanner reads the white bars, and not the black bars

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l7n8K TIL that in 1962 there was a bill proposed to change the name of Philippines to Malaysia but the then newly independent neighbouring country took the name before the bill was passed.
LkOWV TIL in 2013 a Verizon programmer was found outsourcing his work to a Chinese company for less than 20% of his salary and spending his "workday" surfing the Internet. The Chinese code was so good that the programmer was regarded as the best in his department of Verizon.
yw5J TIL Ophiocordyceps unilateralis has been known to destroy entire ant colonies. In response, ants have evolved the ability to sense that a member of the colony is infected; healthy ants will carry the dying one far away from the colony in order to avoid fungal spore exposure.
Y6rr TIL humans are unable to burp in zero gravity environments.
pYv88 TIL Charlie Parker attempted suicide in 1954. The death of his two-year-old daughter, the cumulative effects of his excesses with drugs and alcohol in his health and his crumbling career were contributing factors for his breakdown.