› added 4 years ago

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TIL that the dust storm that sets off the events in the film "The Martian" isn't plausible because the atmosphere on Mars is about 1% as dense as Earth's and the winds in the strongest Martian storms top out at about 60 miles per hour, unlikely to tip or rip apart major mechanical equipment.

Read more mars.nasa.gov

via reddit.com

D4Yg TIL the “average” white American is 0.7% African by genetic descent, and that up to 30% of white Americans are between 2 and 20% African by genetic descent. Conversely, 10% of all black Americans are actually more than 50% European by genetic descent.
olRA TIL the HBO series Rome featured one of the largest sets ever constructed for a television show, at over 5 acres, and was also one of the most expensive, at over $100,000,000US.
dDAA9 TIL the sole surviving passenger of Flight 820 crash in 1973 disobeyed instructions to remain in his seat when a fire started in the rear lavatory. The passenger ran to the forward galley and passed out on the floor. All other passengers died from carbon monoxide poisoning, smoke inhalation and fire
oBlML TIL that Spanish Big Brother staff failed to intervene when an unconscious contestant was rap.ed by another and then showed her the tape of the assault in question the following day
l7YmB TIL that the Amish can and do use electricity - solar panels. Their belief system isn't that they can't use electricity, it's that they don't want to rely on outside technology like a city electric grid.