› added 6 years ago

105

TIL English is "the universal language of the skies". All pilots must learn and use English, regardless of their country of origin.

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6EvoW TIL about the American Service Members Protection Act of 2002, which gives the United States the authority to use military force to liberate ANY American or citizen of a U.S allied-country from being held in the International Criminal Court at Hague!
J1y41 TIL That back in 1739, measurements of the Earth were made that were so accurate, modern measurements of the circumference only differ by less than 8km. 40,000km -> 40,007.863km
9wMBr TIL, a medieval map, one of the oldest maps in existence, depicts a mythical creature that farts at hunters, killing them
Mn7b TIL in Paris in 1778 lightning rods were the height of fashion, being included in hats, umbrellas and the like.
KYZ0Q TIL, unlike most birds, kiwis have horrible eyesight and are frequently prone to ophthalmological issues. As a result, they naturally rely so heavily on other senses that some have been found to have survived perfectly well albeit completely blind in the wild for years.