› added 7 years ago

97

TIL that biltong is a dried, cured meat product similar to jerky that is popular in South Africa which utilizes vinegar as an antimicrobial agent

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VMMvD TIL Oleic acid, the main constituent of Olive oil, is also emitted by the dead corpses of insects and bees. If a live bee or ant is dabbed with oleic acid, it is dragged off for disposal as if it were dead.
J1Rek TIL: in 1906 a group of 500 students from Missouri State University demanded they be let into the Cole Bros. circus for $0.25 instead of $0.50. When they couldn't stay for the concert after the show they marched to the train yard ripped up rails and greased them so the train couldn't leave town.
p8vbA TIL that while preparing a speech to create a permanent soil erosion service, Hugh H. Bennett was notified of a dust storm approaching Washington DC. He pushed back meeting with Congress until it was estimated to arrive to conclude with opening up the curtains to a dramatic view of a dust storm.
ADDKB TIL that Ted Kaczynski got the codename "UNABOMBER" because his bombings targeted Universities "UN" and Airlines "A"
ZpZ8R TIL that NATO translated and distributed 50,000 copies of “The Sneetches” by Dr. Seuss during the Bosnian War to encourage tolerance to children.