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TIL that in 1966 the glass roof of the Houston Astrodome was painted to reduce glare. However, this reduced the amount of sunlight in the stadium and most of the grass died. A synthetic grass surface called ChemGrass was installed in its place, and Astroturf got its name.

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D56r TIL one of Hitler’s personal chauffeurs and close friends was found to be Jewish and was targeted for expulsion from the SS by Heinrich Himmler. Upon hearing that Maurice was of Jewish descent Hitler made an exception for Maurice and his brothers calling them “honorary Aryans.”
mxlWo TIL facing rising unprovoked shark attacks, Australia is deploying shark detecting drones above its busiest beaches. Software detection rates are 90%, while human accuracy when viewing aerial images is only about 25%.
VMKwZ TIL that before 1954, stop signs used to be yellow with black lettering. This was because there was no red dye that would not fade over time. However, by 1954, sign makers began using a fade-resistant porcelain enamel, and it was declared that stop signs would be red with white lettering.
N9G6 TIL that after WWII, the Soviet Union presented a wooden replica of the Great Seal of the United States to Ambassador Averell Harriman who hung it in his office. Seven years later, a routine inspection revealed the gift contained a bugging device the Soviets had used to spy on the ambassador.
EQdo TIL a Tortoise that died in Steve Irwin’s zoo at the age of 175, was once owned by Charles Darwin