› added 9 months ago

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TIL that the last Space Shuttle mission carried only 4 astronauts because of the contingency plan to accommodate them on ISS in case the orbiter had to be abandoned

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R76ml TIL space shuttles' main engines burn cryogenic propellant at ~3500K (hot enough to boil iron). They are fueled by cooling channels built-in to the nozzles themselves, which simultaneously cool the nozzle at a steady state while fueling the engine.
ANloB TIL The Earth Is Running Out of Sand, Spurring a Cutthroat Black Market
rNexe TIL about La Masia, FC Barcelona's youth academy. More than a 1,000 boys 6 to 8 tryout every year. It is widely credited as being the driving force behind FC Barcelona and the Spanish national team's huge success. Alumni include Guardiola, Xavi, Iniesta, Messi and most recently Lamine Yamal.
XE9r6 TIL Great White sharks are warm-blooded
1aOYV TIL that the United States firebombed (i.e., dropped incendiary bombs on) not one, not two, but SIXTY-SEVEN cities in Japan during World War II. This list doesn't include the A-bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.