› added 11 years ago

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TIL that the soviets launched an 80 tonne orbiting battle station equipped with a megawatt laser. It fell to Earth due to faulty guidance systems.

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E5Nd TIL that mustard gas led to chemotherapy. During a World War II air raid, German pilots hit an American ship which had a secret stockpile of mustard gas. Doctors noticed that the gas suppressed cell division, which could fight cancer.
rR4j0 TIL that “Don’t Mess with Texas” began as an anti-littering campaign
EgJAW TIL fewer than one third of women 18-25 know that alcohol increases risk of breast cancer
jNBoE TIL that on December 16, 1965, NASA received a prank transmission from two astronauts: "We have an object, probably in polar orbit... I see a command Module and and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit." They then started playing, "Jingle Bells".
xle1 Til of Betelgeus: a massive star 450 light years away that may go supernova at any given moment and outshine the moon at night and be clearly visible during the day.