› added 9 years ago

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TIL The nuclear disaster at Chernobyl was actually caused by a drill meant to solve another severe safety issue. The explosion occurred when the reactor was mistakenly almost allowed to shut off, then pulling out the control rods completely to try to stop the mistaken shutdown.

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a8vab TIL Rockall is an uninhabited islet in the United Kingdom's exclusive economic zone (EEC). In 1997 the British recognized Rockall wasn't an island and gave up all EEC claims it could have made, Rockall is the only case of a state voluntarily downgrading an insular feature to "a rock".
o78K TIL that when Nirvana was asked to play Top of the Pops, they were told they can’t play instruments. Angry at this, Kurt sang in a deep voice and missed frets intentionally, Krist just spun his bass over his head continuesly, and Dave danced behind his drumkit.
v1omj TIL that Vikings were keen skiers, they even worshipped a god in its name. Medieval sources have very limited material on the god Ullr, but he's almost always shown on skis carrying a bow. In one text, it is said that Ullr can be called ski-god, bow-god, hunting-god and shield-god.
lxyN TIL Blackbeard fell in a sneak attack by the Royal Navy. With only 19 crew members, he devastated one ship, boarded the other, and disarmed the Captain sent to hunt him. He was mid-killstroke when he had his throat slashed. Examination of his body revealed 5 gunshot wounds and over 20 sword wounds.
W75vB TIL a licensed Smurfs mobile game somehow beat out Angry Birds as the highest grossing IPhone game at one point.