› added 4 years ago

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TIL that Apollo 13 astronaut Jack Swigert ran for Congress in 1982 and won, but died of cancer before taking his seat. He publicly disclosed his illness during the campaign.

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via reddit.com

O4KL TIL The World’s Oceans Contain Over 20 Million Tonnes of Gold
0wn5v TIL the UK's Secret Intelligence Service is said to train secret agents in field operations at a star-shaped 1700's castle called Fort Monckton. It is known as No.1 Military Training Establishment & is guarded by razor wire, high intensity lighting & an "in-house" security staff.
GYEwg TIL about Nancy Dupree, an American-born woman who became known as the 'grandmother of Afghanistan.' Moving there in 1962 as a diplomat's wife, she spent the rest of her life in and around the country, collecting and saving documents and eventually founding a new library of Afghan history
JYLJV TIL that a Vindaloo curry is typically not hot and fiery and actually made with garlic and vinegar or wine
Qak9 TIL that Gary James Paulsen (“Hatchet” author) watched his mother beat a molester to death, hunted for sustenance while a teen, was molested by his parents servant, ran away and joined a carnival at 14, witnessed a plane crash/passengers get attacked by sharks, and completed the 1,150 mile Iditarod