› added 11 years ago

154

TIL That in the Cold War the British developed a Nuclear land-mine that, in order to operate, required several live chickens.

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rvEo TIL that some restaurants tried no-tipping, where food prices were raised up to 20%, and ended up losing workers to tipping competitors. Workers earned less but pay was more stable.
JYZgm TIL about Ern Malley, a fictitious Australian poet created to ridicule modernist poetry. A modernist journal devoted an issue to his poems and the editor was sued for immoral material. A policeman said "I don't know what 'incestuous' means, but I think there is a suggestion of indecency about it."
nQPr TIL of a horse named Jim who was used to make diptheria anti-toxin. One day Jim got tetanus and by the time anyone noticed 12 children who received his serum had died, leading to the creation of the 1902 Biologics Control Act.
R7mgj TIL static sparks produced under low humidity (as in to car doors in winter) can go up to 20,000 volts! 40 V is enough to be fatal with wet skin (1st part under Production; 2nd part under Safety in link)
w871 TIL the Placebo effect also works on dogs.