› added 11 years ago

129

TIL a physicist published his cat as a coauthor so he could write using first person plural without being criticized.

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wPvP TIL that 97% of Quebec, Canada’s electricity comes from hydroelectric dams. This cheap, clean, source of electricity provides $billions in annual profit to government, and has had a “near mythical” role in the province’s economic development.
b6mga TIL Kissinger was sent on a secret trip to China in 1971, wearing fedora and sunglasses as disguise. Landing in Pakistan first, he feigned a stomach ache, saying he needed a few days to rest, which bought him enough time to fly into Beijing undetected
R7756 TIL Harvard’s first black faculty member was a dentist. Dr. George Franklin Grant joined the Dept of mechanical dentistry in 1871. Also an inventor, he patented the wooden golf tee. Previously, golfers carried around buckets of sand, placing their balls on little piles as they went.
KYlea TIL the US constitution protects both ritual animal sacrifice and sports coaches holding public prayer with players before a sports game. Theoretically, a coach could sacrifice a goat to Satan before every little league game, and the state could not lawfully intervene or stop them.
ZpVeR TIL the famous riff to INXS’ song “Need You Tonight” appeared in guitarist’s Andrew Farriss head while waiting for a cab to go to the airport. He then asked the cab driver to wait a couple of minutes while he grabbed something from his motel room. In reality, he went up to record the riff.