› added 12 years ago

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TIL Warsaw radio mast was the tallest structure in the world until its collapse due to worker error

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OoYbY TIL of the "Chicken poop prison" in Thailand. The ceiling of the cells was a grate, and chickens were cared for above the cell. Their dung was allowed to drop freely onto the criminal within.
DQ18v TIL that "The Pond" was a small US government intelligence organization that operated from 1942 and 1955. It worked in 32 countries, and after WWII was set up as a corporation contracted to the State Department, later merged with the CIA. The US government formally acknowledged it in 2001.
X0GZr TIL the sky looks blue because gases and particles in the air scatter light from the sun and shorter blue wavelength light is scattered more than other wavelengths, so we see more of the blue than other colors. Sunsets are more atmosphere scattering most of the blue so you see more reds and yellows
QY7e TIL that George Washington originally declined a presidential salary however he ultimately accepted the payment to avoid setting a precedent whereby the presidency would be perceived as limited only to independently wealthy individuals who could serve without any salary.
NXkpE TIL The US Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million.