› added 9 years ago

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TIL scientists have been able to genetically modify mosquitoes so their sperm can only produce male offspring, decimating test populations in six generations. This inexpensive innovation could prevent the spread of malaria, save millions of lives and won’t have a significant impact on the ecosystem.

neG8W TIL rapper Ice Cube converted to Islam in the mid-1990s. This is why, in his song "It Was A Good Day", his momma cooked the breakfast with no hog - because Muslims don't eat pork.
9wxjm TIL: Prior to 2005, Catholic cardinals participating in papal conclaves were housed in the Apostolic Palace, sleeping on cots in makeshift bedrooms in hallways or offices. Pope John II changed the rules for future conclaves, allowing participants to room in a nearby guest house.
nWeeb TIL the original Bisquick formula was inspired by a dining car chef on the Southern Pacific Railroad. Said chef mixed the dry ingredients for the RR's biscuit recipe, stored it in the icebox, then added liquid ingredients when needed to have fresh biscuits ready at a moment's notice.
QN7Z9 TIL about the fast food chain "Rax Roast Beef" which at one time operated a peak of 504 locations in the US in the 1980's, but due to continuous changes in its business model and shifting focus away from its core clientele eventually declined to just 8 locations today.
6AM8 TIL a “factoid” is different than a “fact” - a factoid is a piece of information that is unsupported, completely out of context, or simply untrue but presented as a fact anyway