› added 4 years ago

72

TIL that in 1998, Pres. Bill C. read a novel about a mad scientist who spread a virus in NYC. Concerned about this risk, he established the Strategic National Stockpile, which contains billions of dollars in medical supplies (many being used now ).

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R5vr4 TIL The Battle of the Somme was humouristically called the "Great Fuck Up" by soldiers of WW1
rR19o TIL the present-day Washington State was originally called "Columbia", but Congress forced the name change to "Washington" in honor of George Washington and to avoid confusion with the nation's capital, the District of Columbia
oBa5K TIL Sparta called itself Lacedaemon, which is why the symbol for Sparta is the Greek letter Lambda
Ypwpr TIL that in 1942 the US effected gas rationing; the goal was not to save on gas but to conserve the rubber used in tires to benefit the war effort.
0wALj TIL Napoleon III's Y-chromosome (which is inherited father to son) does not match other member's of the Bonaparte family implying his legal father was not his father and he was not a Bonaparte. There had been rumors during his lifetime that he was illegitimate due his mother's affairs.