› added 9 years ago

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TIL the story that NASA spent $1 million on a space pen while the soviets simply used a pencil is false. The pen was developed by a private company without any taxpayer dollars and NASA simply became a client afterwards.

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P1Q8E TIL the operating company of Tōjiin Ritsumeikan Daigaku Kinugasa Campus Mae tram station considered shortening the name but changed its mind after discovering it would be the longest station name in Japan
loKN7 TIL that MDMA (aka ecstasy) can help alleviate PTSD, even after taking it just once or twice. In a 2018 study, 100% of participants showed reduced symptoms of PTSD one year after the trial. 67% lost their PTSD diagnosis altogether.
nvE9 TIL in Ancient Greece, throwing an apple at a woman was considered to be a marriage proposal.
Merb TIL for centuries there was a class of slave-soldier called the Mamluks. They were so powerful, free men would sell themselves into slavery hoping to join them. Also, they were wiped out in a purge not unlike the Jedi.
4kRPX TIL How a Modified Iraqi Dassault Falcon 50 Business Jet almost Sank a US Navy Frigate