› added 11 years ago

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TIL Carl Sagan wanted to include the Beatles “Here Comes the Sun” on the golden record sent into space on the Voyager spacecrafts. The Beatles said yes, EMI said no.

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QNMEd TIL about the "friendship paradox" which states that most people have fewer friends than their friends
9wKDX TIL in 1958 a military plane accidentally dropped an Atom Bomb on a farm near Florence, South Carolina. The nuclear reaction didn't occur, but there was still enough explosive to create a 25 foot crater!
BXae TIL that the death toll of the Rwandan Genocide accounted as much as 20% of the country’s total population
jNYOj TIL Captain Cook's return to Hawaii coincided with the Makahiki, a Hawaiian harvest festival of worship for the god Lono. Coincidentally the form of Cook's ship resembled certain artifacts that formed part of the season of worship. He was flayed a month later after trying to kidnap the king.
J1KOj TIL that Egyptian builders such as those of the pyramids were usually not slaves, and frequently took sick days from work. Popular excuses included “stung by scorpion”, “bleeding wife”, “trouble with eye”, and even “brewing beer”.