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TIL an MIT grad student submitted his thesis developing the theory of orbital rendezvous which would be critical to the Apollo program. It opens, “In the hopes that this work may in some way contribute to their exploration of space. If only I could join them in their exciting endeavors.” Buzz Aldrin

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wXZE TIL that bullet-resistant glass can be designed to work one way and not the other
kOJNE TIL In 1979 a stadium hosted Disco Demolition Night. Cost was ¢99 if you brought a disco record. 50,000 people showed up to see them blow up the records in between games. Thousands rushed the field in a frenzy. This is referred to as “The Night Disco Died” and is linked to the decline of the genre
jN1OM TIL the U.S. developed a Bat Bomb containing thousands of hibernating bats, each carrying their own timed incendiary device. It was never deployed in war, but during testing the bats got loose and burned down an Air Force base.
4kRyJ TIL the screw thread is believed to have been invented around 400 BCE, by Archytas of Tarentum, a Greek philosopher sometimes called “the father of mechanics.” The general principle of the screw was applied early on, in cities like Pompeii, to extract olive oil and grape juice
79gM TIL an error of Costa Rica’s border on Google Maps led to an invasion of Costa Rica by the army of Nicaragua. Google responded, saying that their Maps “shouldn’t be used as a reference to decide military actions between countries”.