› added 4 years ago

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TIL that 87 men died on the Potomac after two ships collided while searching for John Wilkes Booth after he assassinated Abraham Lincoln.

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E6Lx TIL: The Scold’s Bridle, a British invention, possibly originating in Scotland, used between the 16th and 19th Century. It was a device used to control, humiliate and punish gossiping, troublesome women by effectively gagging them.
yVWjw TIL about Project Plowshare, a US program for the development of techniques to use nuclear explosives for peaceful construction purposes. Proposed uses included widening the Panama Canal, excavate a roadcut in the Mojave Desert for the construction of I-40, and create an artificial harbor in Alaska
Bjge TIL that when Lodewijk van den Ber designed an experiment for the Space Shuttle, NASA asked for a list of eight people who could fly in orbit to run it. Adding his own name to finish the list, to van den Ber’s amazement he became the first Dutch spaceman despite his age (53) and physical condition.
9wvB6 TIL of the Uncensored Library, a Minecraft server and map released by Reporters Without Borders to circumvent censorship in countries without freedom of the press. Several countries have their own wing with their banned media in English and the original text.
4Krb TIL unclean vocals (screams, yells, shouts) commonly used in metal genres, originated in the Opera, with the first recognizable use being in Alban Berg’s Wozzeck.