› added 2 months ago

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TIL After water, concrete is the most widely used substance on the planet

Read more theguardian.com

via reddit.com

x6657 TIL - When Ozone gas was first identified in 1840 its harmful effects were not widely understood - it was associated with fresh air and recuperative properties. In 1882, a businessman coined the name Ozone Park (NY) to promote the area’s proximity to "fresh tonic ocean air".
ne0RY TIL about SOLO-TREC, a submarine that NASA invented that can basically generate infinite energy.
AWPn TIL that supergroup the Travelling Wilbury’s named their second album Travelling Wilburys Vol. 3, just to confuse people.
x6P70 TIL the chromosomal cap, called telomere, grows shorter during cell division. Researchers also found out that most old people have shorter telomeres, that some telomeres had never shortened in those who lived past 100 years old, and that cancer cells don't die because their telomeres don't shorten.
neRx9 TIL that former German chancellor Helmut Schmidt was a heavy smoker. He was well known for lighting up during TV interviews and talk shows. He was also charged with defying smoking bans. In 1981 he got a pacemaker. Despite these he died as the longest living chancellor at the age of 96.