› added 2 years ago

65

TIL: In 1986, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) held that US activities in Nicaragua, including laying mines in its ports, had violated international law. The US refused to participate in the proceedings and then rescinded its 40-year consent to the court's compulsory jurisdiction.

9ndr TIL in the 1980s a man with severe OCD shot himself in the head in an attempt to commit suicide. Instead of killing him, the bullet destroyed the part of his brain that was responsible for his OCD, and he went on to become a straight-A college student five years later.
O4LX TIL that a recent study found that 67% of men and 25% of women would rather give themselves an electric shock than be alone with their own thoughts.
KOZQE TIL about the Anti-Superstition Society of Chicago who, in 1962, awarded John Glenn (occupant of the 13th capsule in space) with a gold watch with each number replaced with the number 13. There were 13 senators attending, each paid $13.13 to be there, and it was held on Friday the 13th.
BrRRW TIL that Norman Borlaug saved more than a billion lives with a "miracle wheat" that averted mass starvation, becoming 1 of only 5 people to win the Nobel Peace Prize, Presidential Medal of Freedom, and Congressional Gold Medal. He said, "Food is the moral right of all who are born into this world."
WkN69 TIL term "EGOT" was coined by Miami Vice actor Philip Michael Thomas who said he planned to win an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony within 5 years. As of 2019, he has yet to be nominated for any of the awards.