› added 8 years ago

167

TIL that the Pentagon has rocket balls a.k.a. kinetic fireball incendiaries made of rubberized rocket fuel; when ignited, they propel themselves randomly at high speed, bouncing off walls, smashing through doors, turning an entire building into an inferno.

Read more wired.com

via reddit.com

j6M1a TIL an alchemist from the Tang dynasty was searching for an immortality potion and ended up discovering gun powder, which would do the opposite of the sought after potion.
woJNE TIL about Alejo Garza Tamez, a 77 year old rancher in Mexico. In Nov 2010 members of the Los Zetas cartel demanded he leave his property within 24 hours. Instead, he told his workers to go home, gathered all of his weapons, and mounted a one-man defense, killing 4 cartel members and incapacitating 2
9a47 TIL that El Chapo was popular in his hometown and the inhabitants protested his arrest in 2014. He is popular because he used his wealth to renovate his hometown, which created lots of job opportunities.
Nad8 TIL that the F-117A stealth fighter shot down by the Serbians in 1999 was picked up on radar because it had opened its internal bomb doors - the open doors increased its radar profile, allowing a SAM missile crew to get a lock on.
b9GLp TIL about the siege of the alcazar during the spanish civil war. The defenders held out for 2 months during which the entire castle was reduced to ruins after heavy artillery bombardement and mines. Their commander refused to surrender even when his son was captured and later executed.