› added 9 years ago

352

TIL that for a science fair experiment in 1969, a 14 year old scientist used genes to change chicken feathers from white to partially black, which his teacher said was playing God.

Read more embryo.asu.edu

via reddit.com

lom1K TIL the Titanic's watertight compartments likely caused its rapid sinking by keeping too much water weight in the bow of the boat. Without the compartments, the ship would have remained horizontal and taken several hours to sink allowing nearby ships to rescue all passengers in time.
LWg0 TIL a screenwriter deliberately stranded himself on an isolated beach for research. During the time a volleyball washed ashore, inspiring him to create Wilson for the movie “Cast Away”
16kGD TIL that The Woman's Building, one of the twelve main buildings built for the Chicago's World Fair in 1893, was planned, designed, and decorated entirely by women. The purpose of the building was to highlight women's achievements and challenge traditional ways of thinking.
Abpa TIL that form 1969 to 1977, Ford Motor Company produced the Pinto with full knowledge of a design flaw that frequently caused the fuel tank to catch fire during rear collisions, which would have cost $11 per vehicle to fix. The tag line in radio ads was, “Pinto leaves you with that warm feeling.”
vPVGR TIL about Porphyrios, a giant whale who used to harass and destroy Byzantine ships near Constantinople during VI century. Active for more than 50 years, nobody managed to catch him, not even emperor Justinian I.