› added 5 years ago

208

TIL the idea of black holes was first proposed in 1783 by John Michell, calling them "dark stars" and proposing a method to detect them by looking for star systems that showed the gravitational effects of two stars, but only one star was visible, which is indeed how scientists look for them today

Read more io9.gizmodo.com

via reddit.com

X8Nj TIL the chemical composition of emotional tears differs from those secreted due to irritation (such as tears caused by onions). Emotional tears include more protein-based hormones such as prolactin and leucine enkephalin, a natural painkiller that acts as the mechanism that allows one to feel better
X0R5X TIL Paris holds an annual Baguette Grand Prix. The winner gets €4,000 and a 1-year contract to supply bread to residence of the President of France. The rules are strict as having the wrong amount of salt, or not having enough weight will get you disqualified for example.
xVgrg TIL the Demon core, a fissile core that went supercritical twice in the 1940s causing the deaths of Harry Daghlian and Louis Slotin.
OonPY TIL an identity thief stole the identity of a surgeon and while aboard a Navy destroyer was tasked with performing several life saving surgeries. He proceeded to memorize a medical textbook just before hand and successfully performed the surgery with all patients surviving.
xGX1 TIL that Hall of Fame linebacker Lawrence Taylor would hire prostitutes and send them to his opponents’ hotel rooms the night before a game to try to tire them out