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TIL there’s a town in Norway (Rjukan) that’s in shadow for three full months of the year. As a result, townspeople have built giant mirrors on the mountainside to reflect natural light on their homes.

Read more theguardian.com

via ift.tt

wL8k8 TIL that a man who had severe allergy, intentionally infected himself with hookworms after he read that parasites might cure allergy. After he got infected by walking barefoot in latrines, the worms actually treated his allergy. He later started to sell worm eggs on the internet.
xdo7 TIL In 2012, Jose Alvarenga, a Salvadorian fisherman, survived 438 days on a raft in the Pacific Ocean. With no motor or GPS or food, he survived on raw turtle and fish, rainwater, turtle blood, and his own urine. He is believed to be the longest surviving castaway.
GY5DG TIL about the Oslo Breakfast, a meal that began to be served to Norwegian schoolchildren starting 1932. A typical version included an orange, milk, whole-wheat bread, rye biscuit, cheese, carrot and a spoon of cod-liver oil. It reportedly increased the average height of 14 year olds by 4 inches.
mxaav TIL an Iranian F-4 Phantom was attempting to shoot down a drone. The drone was being escorted by an F-22 Raptor which is a stealth fighter. The F-22 flew underneath the F-4 to examine it's munitions all without the F-4 noticing. The F-22 then told the F-4 "you really ought to go home", and it did.
69PxZ TIL that Oliver Cromwell demanded that the painter Peter Lely should depict him exactly as he was without flattering airbrushing, warts and all.