› added 11 years ago

80

TIL Xerxes sentenced the sea to 300 lashes for destroying two of his army’s bridges

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5VLaR TIL that the rarest and most expensive silk in history, is made from mussel threads. Once worn by royalty its production nearly vanished—today, only one woman in Sardinia, Chiara Vigo, still weaves it.
OGZ7Y Today I learned that there is a Microsoft Excel World Championship where people compete based on their Excel formula skills and it’s (like?) an eSport
4Be6 TIL an empty semi-truck has a longer stopping distance than a fully loaded one (40 tons in the US). This is because the suspension and brakes are designed to handle such loads, and the extra weight provides more traction to the tires, while stiff springs cause tires on empty trailers to bounce.
5YmjB TIL 72 Chinese billionaires died between 2003 and 2011. 15 were murdered, 17 committed suicide, 7 died from accidents, 14 were executed according to the law, and 19 died from diseases.
X0wmk TIL that the Nanga Parbat is the only mountain taller than 8000 meters, whose maiden summit was done solo. The climber, Hermann Buhl, did so by taking methamphetamine and reaching the summit after a 19 hour long climb from his camp.