› added 11 years ago

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TIL that in 2008 a ship’s anchor accidentally cut two underwater Internet cables - reducing Asia’s internet capacity by 72%.

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XEj7j TIL a 2015 survey showed that STEM workers are more likely to have autistic traits than non-STEM ones - the average STEM worker had an autism spectrum quotient of 21.9, while the rest had 18.9.
KO5rw TIL in 1945, a bill was introduced to make nurses eligible for the draft because of the increased need for nurses during WWII. The bill failed, but more nurses ended up enlisting due to debate over the draft and due to the creation of simpler recruiting methods to help with the nurse shortage.
ZpLlB TIL - In the 1977 Formula 1 season, Niki Lauda won the driver’s championship with 2 races still to go. He didn’t drive those last 2 races, perhaps because he was changing teams the next year. Gilles Villeneuve drove the last 2 races for Ferrari, in Niki’s absence.
XKE8 TIL Drew Carey, a minority owner of the Seattle Sounders, decided that they needed a marching band. Thus, the first and only Major League Soccer marching band.
w6GW TIL that Europeans did not know anything about potatoes, tomatoes, chili peppers, chocolate, corn, peanuts and vanilla until the “discovery” of the Americas.