› added 2 years ago

100

TIL Tulips were once more valuable than gold.

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via reddit.com

6EWpQ TIL that in 1966 after failing for 3 years to extinguish a gas well fire Soviet authorities decided to use a 30kt atomic bomb. It was detonated at a depth of 1,500m, crushing the well and extinguishing the flames in seconds. Following this success the same technique was use on 4 other well fires.
y8PJ TIL: Interest in the United States was limited to 6% in the original 13 States. Beyond that it was considered usury, which was illegal.
GANbJ TIL that the Earth's Perihelion (point in time closest to the Sun) is on January 3rd.
epeYJ TIL in 1981 George Thorogood and the Destroyers completed their "50/50 Tour", in which the band played shows in all 50 US states in 50 days. In fact, they played a concert in Washington, D.C. on the same day that they performed a show in Maryland, thereby playing 51 concerts in 50 days.
PY5EG TIL that the Byzantine emperor Basil II captured over 15,000 Bulgars. He ordered 99% of the prisoners to have both of their eyes gouged out, and left the 1% with one eye left to guide the others back to their king. This is how Basil earned the title "the Bulgar Slayer"