› added 11 years ago

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TIL that one’s 180 degree angle of view above water is compressed to a 97° angle of view below water, similar to the effect of a fisheye lens. The phenomenon has a name, “Snell’s Window” we have all likely seen it.

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xw5g TIL flaming pigs were used in ancient warfare as a countermeasure against war elephants.
neaQ7 TIL of the Haber–Bosch process developed in the 20th century - the process produces 450 million tonnes of nitrogen fertilizer per year now & has allowed to global population to grow from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 7 billion today
V044 TIL Timothy Cole was arrested and convicted of rape in 1985 and sentenced to 25 years, dying in prison in 1999. After the statute of limitations on the crime had run out, the real rapist confessed and DNA testing proved Cole innocence. He was officially pardoned in 2009.
OGQ04 TIL the TV show "Cops" was greenlit because of the 1988 writer's strike when the network had to find entertainment that didn't need union writers.
x0wg Today I learned that an FBI agent sold secrets to the Soviets and Russia for 22 years, and when caught said, “what took you so long?”