› added 10 months ago

46

TIL that there are crystals that suddenly cannot be recreated, having been replaced globally by more stable forms via global contamination of microscopic seed crystals

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J1JO1 Today I learned there's a tree with bark that curls off and scientists aren't sure why this happens
16pAP TIL: of Adam Worth, who fought with the Union in the US Civil war, then went on to a life of crime in Europe, where he earned the nickname “the Napoleon of Crime”, and served as the inspiration for Sherlock Holmes’ great nemesis James Moriarity.
BrVKe TIL that in Star Trek, Captain Kirk's phrase "You have the conn" has its origins in early battleships dating as far back as the 1860s; these ships were built with conning towers. A conning tower is a raised platform on a ship or submarine from which an officer in charge can issue commands.
NXyJN TIL Susan Weaver, AKA Sigourney Weaver, began using the name "Sigourney" when she was 14 years old, taking it from a minor character in The Great Gatsby.
oBPn8 TIL that in 2008 an app called "I Am Rich" was released for a day. It had absolutely no purpose, cost $999.99, and eight people bought it just to show that they could afford it.