› added 7 years ago

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TIL of David Hahn, who at 17 years old attempted to build a nuclear reactor in his backyard, which at one point was emitting over 1000 times normal background radiation.

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R70da TIL drug lord Pablo Escobar turned himself in to the authorities on the condition (other than not being extradited to the U.S.) that he would build the prison himself and choose his own guards. The "prison" also featured a football pitch, giant doll house, bar, jacuzzi among other amenities.
VBQmG TIL when Jack Benny died in 1974, his will arranged for a single long-stemmed red rose to be delivered to his widow, Mary Livingstone, every day for the rest of her life. She lived eight and a half more years, passing away in 1983.
pYmvp TIL Galen was the most influential ancient physician during the Middle Ages and his theory was that the blood carried the pneuma, or life spirit, which gave it its red color
P1Ovn TIL the Eiffel Tower in Paris can grow up to 15 centimeters (about 6 inches) during the summer due to the thermal expansion of the metal it's constructed from.
d8xod TIL that the word "dude" comes from the word "doodle," as in Yankee Doodle, which means fool or simpleton