› added 4 years ago

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TIL about NASA's Project Echo "sateloon" from the 1960's where they launched 100 foot in diameter inflatable reflective orbs into space to use as passive comsat relays.

Read more history.nasa.gov

via reddit.com

n557 TIL The creators of the Red Dwarf series acknowledge that Rimmer’s surname comes from a snobby prefect with whom they attended school. They claim, however, that only the boy’s name was used, and not his personality because that would imply he had one.
4XYE6 TIL there are no known records from the American Treasury Department to indicate why Andrew Jackson was chosen to replace Grover Cleveland on the $20 bill in 1928. Jackson was notoriously opposed to paper money.
9wLPp TIL that during the peak of their powers about 10% of the entire Japanese population were samurais. Due to their large numbers nearly all Japanese alive today are descended from samurai
5VMPP TIL Iron Maiden frontman Bruce Dickinson made booby traps from live ammunition while he was still at boarding school
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