› added 6 years ago

103

TIL of Dashrath Manjhi, an Indian man who manually carved a path 110 m long, 9.1 m wide and 7.6 m deep through a hill using only a hammer and chisel over the course of 22 years, shortening travel from his village, Gehlaur, to the town of Gaya from 55km to 15km.

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QlnL TIL that Kansas is literally flatter than a pancake.
16aRD TIL that the distance of Earth from the Sun is about 108 times the diameter of the Sun. Likewise, the distance between the Earth and the Moon is also about 108 times the diameter of the Moon.
Z85dv TIL of Kathleen Mary Drew-Baker, a British phycologist, whose research on the lifecycle of an edible seaweed saved and revolutionized Japanese production of nori, the principal seaweed used in sushi
9w7Wp TIL of the 1950's Quiz Show Scandal. It was discovered that several televised quiz shows were fixing the winners, leading to public outrage. In response, Congress passed a federal law that outlaws any contest or game with "prearranged or predetermined" winners or an "intent to deceive the audience."
KODrR TIL the highest natural point in Rhode Island, Jerimoth Hill, was once considered one of the more difficult state highpoints to scale despite being a gentle hill only 812 feet above sea level, as the trail up the hill passed through the private property of an old man who would threaten trespassers.