› added 12 years ago

96

TIL 16 seconds before launch of the space shuttle that 350,000 gallons of water are poured below the shuttle to suppress sound.

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D1noJ TIL Xenophanes (c. 570 – c. 475 BC) was the first person known to have used fossils as evidence for a theory of the history of the Earth. Having discovered fossils of marine life on a mountain he posited they were once underwater.
xV1po TIL that in the early 1990s, DJs Opie and Anthony promoted a giveaway of “100 Grand” over several weeks on their radio show in Boston. When the winner was finally chosen, they revealed that the prize was a 100 Grand candy bar and not $100,000.
6RK8 TIL A WWII messenger pigeon named GI Joe was awarded a bravery medal for “Making the 20 mile flight from British 10th Army HQ, in the same number of minutes … just in time to save the lives of at least 100 Allied soldiers” 31 other pigeons have been awarded for bravery during service.
XEQDD TIL that even though the name Jason contains the first letters of months July-November in order, it predates those months’ additions to the modern calendar by at least 115 years. (July added ~88 BC, August ~4 BC, Argonautica 3rd century BC)
kML7 TIL the Seinfeld theme song was actually done on a synth, not a bass guitar.