› added 1 year ago

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TIL research shows that reading literature makes people smarter and nicer

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X06YP TIL of the Darvaza gas crater, AKA the Gates of Hell, a crater in Turkmenistan that has been on fire since the ‘80s. Engineers wanted to prevent the emission of poisonous gases by igniting them, but reportedly underestimated how much there was.
JYBAk TIL of RAF pilot Cyril Barton. During a raid over Germany, his plane was strafed repeatedly causing three of his crew to bail out. He dropped the bomb himself, flew the heavily damaged bomber home, crashed landed it and saved the lives of everyone onboard. He however would succumb to his injuries.
XPQE TIL when the U.S. government suppressed Native religions to convert them to Christianity, some called it “making apples”, as the Indians would still appear ‘red’ on the outside, but would be made 'white’ on the inside.
bYka TIL that 795 sq miles of land, Bir Tawil, between Egypt and Sudan remains unclaimed by either nation. This is the only piece of unclaimed land outside of Antarctica.
4Xvvw TIL the U.S. president used to have a presidential yacht. Jimmy Carter sold it in the 70s, and at one point it had an elevator on it for FDR - until Lyndon Johnson replaced it with a liquor bar.