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[TIL] The concept of zero as a number was first developed in India, and its use spread to the Islamic world and then to Europe.

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b8XZ TIL of Adolf Tolkachev, the Soviet engineer and CIA Asset who singlehandedly provided enough information to compromise the MiG-29 and MiG-31, among other advanced avionics before being betrayed by EL Howard and executed by the KGB in 1985.
G96N TIL in 1941, movie starlet Hedy Lamarr invented and patented an early technique for spread spectrum communications and frequency hopping, necessary for wireless communication. This is the basis of WiFi, CDMA, Bluetooth and other modern communication technologies.
7JbL TIL in 1963, the US Military created an artificial ring around the Earth, in order to serve as a man-made ionosphere. The ring was made of copper needles and was used for worldwide communications in the case that the Soviets disabled all other methods of communication.
yQrZl TIL that frogs use their eyes to help them swallow food.
6E9N8 TIL that fortune telling is a crime in New York State and carries a potential penalty of 3 months in jail