› added 12 years ago

80

TIL there is a theoretical transatlantic tunnel that would allow for a 54 minute trip between New York and London.

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VBwGZ TIL that traditional lacquer is made w urushiol sap, aka the rash-causing toxin in poison ivy & poison oak. In fact, "urushi" (as in "urushi-ol") is the Japanese for the Chinese lacquer tree (also toxic) & an English word for lacquerware. They all fall in the genus Toxicodendron, or "poison tree".
m1YrE TIL that an axolotl has this unique ability to regenerate almost anything you cut off them, they can even regenerate spinal cords, eyes and even parts of their brains.
R5pL6 Til man has used herding dogs since the Neolithic age over 10 thousand years ago
woXj8 TIL the letter grade E existed until the 1930s, at which time it was eliminated for fear that parents would interpret the grade as meaning “excellent”.
wo6mM TIL about Philo Farnsworth, a farm boy from Idaho who, at just 14, conceived the idea for electronic television while plowing a field. Despite no formal training, his unexpected innovation laid the foundation for the technology that transformed communication and entertainment worldwide.