› added 4 years ago

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TIL in 2012 there was a massive solar flare, at least as powerful as the Carrington event in 1859. It could have devastated the electrical grid and even disabled the water supply, but missed Earth by a week. The chance of another hit was 12% in the next 10 years. "We need to be prepared."

Read more science.nasa.gov

via reddit.com

Ggm7 TIL train attendants on the Shanghai-Beijing bullet train are required to smile while showing eight of their front teeth.
JYkA4 TIL Koko, the signing Gorilla had a partner. Ndume was loaned to Koko's owners on condition that he be returned to the zoo upon Koko's death, to start a new family, which they refused to do, claiming that Ndume(the Gorilla) overheard the discussion about him moving, and became upset about it
QJMeE TIL Codependency is characterized by sacrificing one’s personal needs in order to try to meet the needs of others and is associated with passivity and feelings of shame, low self-worth, or insecurity
OoZZ7 TIL of operation Tamarisk | During the cold war, soviet troops weren't issued toilet paper in the field, leading to them using official documents; Spies were sent in to retrieve these documents from disposal bins. It's seen as one of the most successful espionage missions of the cold war.
RGVw TIL in the 6th century a Swedish king – to demonstrate his low opinion of the Danes – sent a small dog to Denmark and officially made it their king. Appointing dogs to rule the conquered became a tradition in Scandinavia. They were given thrones and mansions, and routinely signed paw-print decrees.