› added 12 years ago

129

TIL Iran was a Democracy before the CIA-led 1953 Iranian coup d'état

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D1NQp TIL Concorde flew so high passengers received twice the dose of radiation from flying in a conventional aircraft, which was believed to increase cancer risk. The flight deck contained a radiometer so they could descend in case of a solar storm.
woeKW TIL about the "resource curse", the phenomenon of countries with an abundance of natural resources having less economic growth, less democracy, and less development than countries with fewer resources.
WkNQL TIL about the only Beach Boy who surfed, Dennis Wilson, died by drowning.
PYJKZ TIL the first reliable pregnancy tests involved doctors injecting women's urine into frogs; if they laid eggs without mating, the woman was pregnant. This test was called the "Hogben Test" and was used widely for about 20 years until doctors began injecting mice and rabbits instead.
jg6N TIL daredevil Evil Knievel sued Kanye West over the Touch the Sky music video where West dresses like Knievel. Knievel was quoted saying “That video that Kanye West put out is the most worthless piece of crap I’ve ever seen in my life”