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TIL that the Soviet Union built their own Space Shuttle in secret. In November of 1988, they revealed and launched The Buran for it’s one and only flight successfully. Unlike the US Space Shuttles, this space craft was fully autonomous, had ejection seats, and was able to carry 30 tons.

Read more space.com

via reddit.com

awrYL TIL India has an estimated 47 million runaway youths. Familial mistreatment, and disapproval over love lives, are cited as some of the main reasons for why they run away. In rural areas, if an eloping couple is caught, the boy may face an assault charge from the parents of the girl.
0dplM TIL that “military brat” was not meant as a pejorative. It stands for: British Regiment Attached Traveler. Though its origin is still up for debate.
GWa7 TIL Thomas Jefferson hated banks and believed they were more dangerous than armies.
wLg01 TIL Hagfish are the only vertebrates that have no backbone. This is because their ancesters lost their vertebral columns through evolution
QJ9kd TIL WTF happened to the US economy in 1971 with the suspension of the Bretton Woods Gold standard for money.