› added 12 years ago

99

TIL that the percent symbol (%) is not alone, there is the permille (‰) and the permyriad (‱) as well.

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via reddit.com

xVAK1 TIL that between 1995 and 2000, hundreds of girls in the US went through estrogen therapy that often causes serious long-term effects, to prevent them from growing taller because of perceived social harms of being “too tall”
YA4P TIL that Mario Andretti once refused to drive a racing car when he discovered that the Church of Scientology was one of its sponsors.
nWKg7 TIL that ancient Roman concrete’s resilience comes from lime clasts, which helped it self-repair cracks and maintain strength over centuries
VMlOp TIL about the Italian Unabomber, who placed tiny explosive devices inside everyday objects, including tomato sauce, a Nutella jar, and an egg, in public spaces in parts of Italy. Numerous people, including children, lost fingers and limbs. The bomber operated from 1994 to 2006 and remains unknown.
NXZbN TIL of Reeve Aleutian Flight 8 from 1983, where the crew successfully landed the plane despite physically losing a propeller, having the controls effectively jammed, and with the other 3 engines stuck at full power. The plane, a 1959 Lockheed Electra, still flies today with a firefighting service.