› added 4 years ago

140

TIL that Submarines and Space Stations burn special candles as a means to produce oxygen, which can be used as a backup if their electronic oxygen-producing systems fail.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

pw7N TIL: there is an orangutan named FU-Manchu who is an honorary member of the lock picking union because he has successfully escaped from his cage using home made keys multiple times. Many primatologists believe he has successfully demonstrated human level deception.
D1arp TIL that first man in space, Yuri Gagarin, wrote a farewell letter to his wife before he went to space. He survived the mission but his wife would receive the letter 7 years later after Gagarin died in a plane crash during routine training.
nWaRP TIL of Juan Pujol García, a Spanish spy from WWII. After the British Army turned him down, he joined the Nazis, and became a double agent, working for the British. Juan is now one of the few people who have received both an MBE from King George and an Iron Cross from Hitler.
mxw4x TIL the descendants of the Ming Dynasty, whose last Emperor lost power in 1644, are not only alive and well, but still hold vast wealth and power over modern-day China, occupying top positions in the ruling Communist Party and various state corporations, schools, and societies.
x6B0D TIL Japan's monarchy is the oldest continuous hereditary monarchy in the world, recognizing 126 monarchs, and dating back to February 11, 660BCE with mythical beginnings. However, the current dynasty has no name and it's members have no family name and are simply referred to as the Imperial House.