› added 2 months ago

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TIL about the 1st Special Service Force, aka the “Devil’s Brigade” – a US-Canada joint unit composed during WWII and the first modern special forces. They fought and died together during the most dangerous allied deployments of WWII, and suffered a casualty rate of up to 77%.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

xDND TIL: While UK athletes receive no bonuses from their country for winning Olympic medals German athletes receive a lifetime supply of beer and Belarussians get unlimited sausages.
vPKaB TIL of the 'skimmer' genus of birds - their outsize lower beaks are used for catching fish at the surface of water
YYnA TIL nuclear power is by far safest power source in the world, and yet it is also the most feared.
neWo9 National Geographic explorer and grantee Gregg Treinish wants everyone to know about the hidden toxic cost of synthetic fabrics. Tiny, invisible microplastics are entering our waterways straight from our washing machines. About 2,000 synthetic particles are released from washing a single polyester fleece jacket. All clothing items—including cotton and wool—shed micro-fibers when washed, but the natural fibers biodegrade. Synthetic particles don't degrade and can absorb toxins while traveling through the waterways. If they're eaten by small organisms, such as fish, they can bioaccumulate and end up on our dinner plates. Read more about how you can minimize microplastics' impact on the environmentMore from Gregg TreinishClick here to read more about microplastics in the ocean
8NVa TIL Netflix funded $246,664 to approve Prop 47, which “Reduces simple drug possession and theft-related sentences to misdemeanors and directs financial savings to substance abuse programs, K-12 education, and trauma recovery services for crime victims.”