› added 7 years ago

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TIL: According to the book “What If”- after humans are extinct, the last remaining man-made light source would be Cherenkov radiation, which would glow an eerie blue for centuries.

Bg4yb TIL that the Puritans banned the celebration of Christmas, believing it to be 'popery'. In England, the ban was from 1647 to 1660 and pro-Christmas rioting occurred. In Boston, the ban was from 1659 to 1681 but it was unfashionable to celebrate Christmas there until the 19th century.
L4lP TIL The sound of Darth Vader mask’s respirator function is trademarked in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office under Trademark #77419252 and is officially described in the documentation as “The sound of rhythmic mechanical human breathing created by breathing through a scuba tank regulator.”
OX44 TIL during the Battle of Stalingrad, factories in the city continued to produce tanks. These tanks, unpainted and lacking gunsights, were driven directly from the factory floor to the front line and were often crewed by factory workers.
mAvy TIL That a whipping boys existed in the English court in the middle ages. Since monarchy was appointed by God, no one could punish the Prince for bad behavior. For the whipping boy be an effective tool for discipline often a friend was chosen where the two had emotional bond.
JQQV TIL differences in wealth are so pronounced between countries that “hunger” is defined completely differently for the U.S. vs. developing countries