› added 3 months ago

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TIL that when French forces led by King Francis I attacked Arles in southern France in 1536, the word "grenade" was first used. Firepots, kegs, jars, and glass globes were used to make the first grenades. The Germans quickly began using two grenade variants (stick and egg).

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oDWW TIL that every rainbow is a circle, but from the ground, only its upper half can be seen. Pilots have noticed full-circle rainbows outside their plane windows, proving that if you get high enough, you can see a rainbow in its entirety.
rPX4 TIL homeopaths without borders is an actual charity
loPKB TIL If humans lived long enough, they would all eventually develop cancer. This is because of inherent limits in the DNA repair mechanisms.
neKOY TIL Rocket Lab successfully tested their ability to catch a rocket falling back to Earth after launch. Completed in April 2020, the test involved the used rocket, a parachute, a helicopter, and a grappling device on a cable.
4rMR TIL on Nov 22, 1987, two television stations in Chicago, IL, were hijacked within the course of three hours. The hijacker dressed to resemble Max Headroom, a fictional British artificial intelligence character from the mid 80’s. To this day neither the hijacker nor any accomplices have been found.