› added 5 years ago

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TIL that when the Mars lander Beagle 2 failed, it was assumed that the landing system failed and blame was placed on Colin Pillinger, lead scientist. After this he wasn't allowed to lead any more missions. He died a year before the lander was discovered intact, proving the landing system worked fine

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wo8J8 TIL that the reason that "The Office, An American Workplace" (the in-world documentary in The Office TV series) began filming was to document the fallout from the suicide of a Dunder Mifflin employee named Tom Peets (mentioned briefly in S2 E8). The focus was later changed to the Scranton branch.
awr0y TIL the Vaquita porpoise is so endangered that there are only 9 left in the wild. They are the world’s most endangered marine mammal.
Ad1l TIL that in 1799 Aaron Burr raised $2mil to provide drinking water to Manhattan. He used $1.9mil of that to found a bank instead, and the water he did provide was often contaminated. NYC did not have a clean water source until 1842. The bank he founded is now known as JPMorgan Chase.
Z5vG TIL India is considered the “pharmacy of the developing world” and delivers affordable medicines to poor people all around the world by exporting 50% of of its $10bn annual generic medicine production.
6RKQ TIL A person had their faced smeared with Peanut Butter and then a cow licked it off just for our enjoyment of Toy Story and the sound effects for Woody’s horse, Bullseye.