› added 12 years ago

77

TIL that the term sniper originated in the 1770s and was dubbed to hunters that were skilled enough to kill the elusive snipe, a small shorebird

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OoM7R TIL Countless would-be adventurers have been rescued attempting to reach the bus where Chris McCandless died in "Into the Wild," as well as three known instances of fans being found dead.
p8Zo8 TIL of Soda locomotive, a fireless locomotive that ran on sodium hydroxide. When steam came in contact with the sodium hydroxide, it would generate enough heat to actually run the boiler and generate more steam and propel the locomotive forward.
KOxEQ TIL in the US in 1952 you could buy a Native American child for $10
EgYGW TIL that the US ranks 51st in the world in life expectancy, behind China and Cuba.
b9MMQ TIL that Space Smells like Seared Steak.