› added 7 years ago

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TIL that HG Wells was basically a huge nerd. He invented a tabletop wargame, like Warhammer, and once complained that a game was ruined by the "chattering of lady visitors."

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mPwP TIL that today is the birthday of the New York subway. The subway system officially opened on Oct 27 1904 making 110 years old. It was the first rapid-transit subway system in America.
XE4WX TIL that upon imprisonment American Psychologist Timothy Leary was given psychological tests designed to aid placing inmates in jobs that were best suited to them. Leary himself had designed a few of them and used that knowledge to get a low-security gardening assignment, and escaped.
4X6aw That’s because it’s real. What you’re looking at is the General Electric Propulsion Test Platform, a specially modified Boeing 747-400 used to try out new jet engines. In this case, it’s testing out the huge new GE9X meant to power the next generation of Boeing 777.
krGd TIL in 1979 a British artist published a book containing riddles and puzzles about the location where he had buried an 18kt gold filigree and jeweled pendant, setting off a worldwide treasure hunt which lasted over two years, and ended in scandal.
W7g4X TIL that there's a sport called Motoball, which is essentially soccer played on motorcycles. Each team comprises 5 players on motorbikes and one player on foot, who serves as the goalkeeper. The ball used is slightly larger to accommodate the unique nature of the game.