› added 9 years ago

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TIL Australia has 10,685 beaches. You could visit a new beach everyday for 29 years.

Read more australia.gov.au

via reddit.com

Lv7Z TIL that in 1746, Jean-Antoine Nollet conducted an experiment in which 200 monks formed a circle (1.6 km in circumference) and were linked by iron wire. He then had electricity pass through them which shocked all the monks simultaneously. He concluded that the speed of electricity was very high.
nAZd TIL in 1873 a classic adventure novel “Around the World in 80 Days” was published in France. Six years later an American woman journalist by the pen name of Nellie Bly completed the trip with the described itinerary in 72 days with nothing more than a handbag and travel money tied around her neck.
Y7g7x TIL that Europe moves the clock forwards and backwards during the Summer just like the United States' Daylight Savings Time. It's called European Summer Time. However, the transition is a few weeks apart from when the United States moves their clocks.
rNKL4 TIL Plato wrote that a nation should be led by its most curious, benevolent, just, kind, and altruistic individuals. He called them Philosopher Kings. They would spend their entire life preparing for this role. Roman Emperor Marcus Aurelius was said to best exemplify this idea.
l7B5r TIL about Ken Fritz, an audiophile that spent close to 30 years developing in his home what he and others consider the worlds greatest stereo sound system and listening room that boasts 35,000 watts, nine-foot-tall speakers, and a 1,500-pound turntable.