› added 10 years ago

136

TIL The MI6 double agent Kim Philby informed his wife of his defection via a telegram from Russia which read: “Farewell forever. Love to the children.”

Read more books.google.co.uk

via reddit.com

N7rWN TIL that the interstellar travels of Voyager I and II were only possible due to a specific planetary alignment that only occurs every 175 years. The position of the 4 outer planets enabled a slingshot move which greatly increased the crafts speed.
P1J4J TIL about Sikh Nation - the largest blood donation campaign run by Canadian Sikhs to commemorate the tragic loss of thousands of lives in India’s anti-Sikh genocide in 1984. It has saved more than 160,000 lives and spread to 27 communities across the country since it began in 1999.
VpPZ TIL a doctor went 50 years cracking the knuckles of his left hand only, leaving his right hand as the control, twice a day to prove it does not contribute to arthritis.
W9VX TIL In the Bible, Nimrod was a mighty hunter. But Bugs Bunny used it to refer to Elmer Fudd sarcastically, and generations of kids thought it was a synonym for idiot or moron.
v15YK TIL Petting a dog or cat or other furry pets releases oxytocin (the “cuddle hormone”), which creates instant happiness. Oxytocin also lowers blood pressure and reduces stress levels.