› added 7 years ago

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TIL in 2004 the Beslan School Massacre took place in Russia where 1100 people were taken hostage by muslim extremists. The extremists had a standoff with Russia for 3 days. It ended with 333 casualties.

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awKLy TIL about "Quaker Cannons," invented during the American Revolution by George Washington's 2nd cousin, William. Having no real artillery while assaulting loyalist troops in a fortified barn, Washington had a log painted to resemble a cannon and threatened to open fire. The enemy leader surrendered.
9YJRM TIL a scientist grew mold in a dish, placing it in the center representing Tokyo and oat flakes around it the other cities in the area. It first filled the space with plasmodia, and then thinned the network to focus on well connected branches. The network strikingly resembled Tokyo's rail system.
rRJQe TIL that the international airport in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia (ULN), the largest international air facility in the country was named after Chinggis Khaan (Genghis Khan) to celebrate the 800th anniversary of the establishment of a Mongolian State on 21 December 2005.
xVj80 TIL President Theodore Roosevelt, an avowed environmentalist, banned Christmas trees from the White House during his presidency.
p00e TIL that although Jewish people make up only 0.2% of the world’s population, they have won over 1/5 of the Nobel prizes since it first began.