› added 8 years ago

113

TIL of the Lavabit case, where the FBI used loopholes and exploits to force surveillance into a secure email service: “since the ‘inspection’ of the data was to be carried out by a machine, it was exempt from the normal search-and-seizure protections of the Fourth Amendment.”

Read more wikipedia.org

via ift.tt

M177 TIL scientists have released millions of genetically modified mosquitoes on the island of Grand Cayman in an effort to combat dengue fever, resulting in an 80% decrease in mosquito numbers.
Z8Qy4 TIL thousands of people of Jewish decent were conscripted or volunteered into the German army during WWII, some ending up in senior positions. Hitler personally signed off on the "declaration of German blood" for 77 high-ranking officers who had Jewish parents or were married to Jews.
R5KBj TIL scientists made a real human-monkey hybrid in 2019 but ceased the embryo's development after a few weeks.
a8Oyb TIL George McGovern accidentally bombed an Austrian farm during WWII. He was haunted for 40 years until after a TV interview, when the farmer called the station to reassure him that he and his family got out in time and that it was worth it if it helped bring down Hitler in any way.
lWlK TIL about “token sucking” - someone, generally a homeless person, earns his sustenance by clogging the token receptacle in the subway turnstile with gum or a paperclip. The tokens become backed up in the receptacle and then “sucks them out by placing his lips around the opening and inhaling.”