› added 13 years ago

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TIL that the Library of Congress was able to purchase the personal papers of Carl Sagan because of a financial donation provided by ‘Family Guy’ creator Seth MacFarlane, and that MacFarlane is working on a “Cosmos” follow up project.

Read more loc.gov

via reddit.com

1a61O TIL in 1961 when Yuri Gagarin returned from space Nikita Khrushchev wanted to boost the Soviet's anti-religion campaign by saying: "Gagarin flew into space, but didn't see any god there."
oBA8r TIL the gun company Beretta has been operating for over 500 years under the same family, with its first documented contract in 1526 being for 185 arquebus barrels to the Republic of Venice. They presently manufacture the M9, the US military's service pistol.
YQXr TIL that the US Secret Service has an SUV with anti-IED jammers and anti-missile radar in the presidential motorcade. It is believed that if a rocket is detected, infrared smoke grenades are detonated while the president’s driver activates a thermal-imaging driving system to escape.
l75dK Today I learned that Sperm Whales are actually named after Sperm. Seamen opened a Sperm Whale’s noggin and thought the oily substance was...Semen.
nerv7 TIL of an Island in Massachusetts colloquially named 'Busta Rhymes Island'. So named, because a resident said it has" ..rope-swinging, blueberries, and . . . stuff Busta would enjoy."