› added 11 years ago

195

TIL: A German citizen was arrested by the CIA, taken in secret to Afghanistan, tortured, sodomized, and held captive for 5 months. His lawsuit against the U.S./CIA was dismissed to “preserve state secrets”.

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via reddit.com

epOb6 TIL the HMS Conqueror is to date the only nuclear-powered submarine to engage and sink an enemy ship (in 1982 Falklands War).
NOlP TIL In 1833, Britain used 40% of its national budget to buy freedom for all slaves in the Empire.
XYME TIL scientists have been able to genetically modify mosquitoes so their sperm can only produce male offspring, decimating test populations in six generations. This inexpensive innovation could prevent the spread of malaria, save millions of lives and won’t have a significant impact on the ecosystem.
wLrBM TIL Cows can cough and it can be a symptom of longworm, bovine tuberculosis or many others
D108V TIL Japan Railways kept the underused Kyu-shirataki Station, located in a remote area of Hokkaido, Japan, open for an extra year for a single passenger -- a high school girl who needed to train to commute to class