› added 11 years ago

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TIL the Curiosity sang “Happy Birthday” to itself on Mars to commemorate one year on the Martian surface

Read more news.discovery.com

via reddit.com

X000X TIL that the Animals broke up because, while touring in Japan in 1968, their manager was kidnapped by the tour promoters, who were Yakuza, and put him up for ransom. After the manager escaped, the band was forced to flee the country or be killed by the Yakuza, leaving all of their tour gear behind.
5por TIL of Alexandra Scott who started a lemonade stand to raise money for children with cancer. Before passing away at the age 8 she successfully raised over $1 million towards cancer research. Her foundation sponsors a national fundraising weekend every June called Lemonade Days.
ADNWa The human brain looks like a big, pinkish-gray, wrinkly walnut. There are so many folds in it that, if it could be unfolded, it could be a small tablecloth. Pinkish-gray might not match your decor, but it would be about the right size! This "tablecloth" is made up of the cerebral cortex and is the wrinkly outside layer of your brain. All those folds are responsible for abstract thought, language, and memory. Scientists believe the wrinkles exist as a way to increase the surface area of the cortex, allowing for increased brainpower in a smaller space. In this week’s Today I Learned, neuroscientist and National Geographic Emerging Explorer Steve Ramirez shares some of his smarts on how your cortex is different from your pet hamster’s.
M7Ega TIL that before Gen X became popularly known as Gen X, the terms post-Boomers, Baby Busters (falling birthrate), New Lost Generation, Latchkey Generation, MTV Generation, and 13th Generation (13th since American independence) were all used.
wo8ZM TIL that Grand Juries are used in only two countries - USA and Liberia