› added 5 years ago

182

TIL A Kilogram was previously defined by the weight of a platinum-based ingot locked in a safe in Paris. It has been used since 1889. The General Conference on Weights and Measures decided to redefine Kilogram in terms of an electric current.

Read more bbc.com

via reddit.com

XOWE TIL M.C. Escher created a recursive print called “Print Gallery” that he was unable to complete because of the complexity of the remaining region. A pair of Dutch mathematicians recently modeled the geometry of the print and completed the illustration.
D1Y4j TIL that in 2009, four prison inmates saved a prison guard from another inmate. The heroes were in prison for crimes like assault and armed robbery and saved the guard because he treated them with a lot of respect.
YgP TIL that in a pinch, hand sanitizer can be used as a makeshift deodorant. The alcohol in it will kill any odor causing bacteria
7d1O TIL there are now more than 4,000 breweries in the U.S., up from 284 in 1990, with two new breweries opening everyday.
4Elo TIL the man who supervised the construction of the CTV Building, which collapsed in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake, faked his engineering degree. 115 people died, over half the total earthquake deaths. Gerald Shirtcliff had stolen the identity of a retired engineer based in the UK, William Fisher.