› added 10 years ago

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TIL that spider silk is pound for pound stronger than steel, but not as strong as Kevlar.

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dDnKr TIL Microsoft considered using a photo called "Red Moon Desert" as the default wallpaper for Windows XP. It was taken by Charles O'Rear, who also took the "Bliss" photo ultimately chosen to be the default. Microsoft changed their mind after testers compared "Red Moon Desert" to buttocks.
gr119 TIL in 1871 to support the need for more bells in the Cologne Cathedral, Kaiser Wilhelm I donated 24 captured French canons to be melted down and cast. The three ton bell created was named Kaiserglocke. Ironically the bell was melted down in 1918 to support the German war effort.
rWmW TIL That the pilot of a FedEx cargo plane flew his DC-10 upside down while the flight engineer was trying to hijack the plane and fighting the co-pilot in the cargo hold.
6DGQ TIL that ‘TASER’ is actually an acronym for 'Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle’, named by the creator Jack Cover after his favorite childhood character and book.
A8yB TIL that the leaders of the UK, France, Italy, and the Netherlands were among those who opposed German reunification in 1989-1990; the Italian prime minister said, “I love Germany so much that I prefer to see two of them.” The Irish and US governments were among the few to support reunification.