› added 3 years ago

91

TIL that a very large telescope in Chili is officially called “the Very Large Telescope.”

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

QN76X TIL that 8% of our DNA comes from remnants of ancient viruses. And an additional 40% is made up of repetitive strings of DNA that's also thought to have viral origins. Almost half our DNA didn't come from us.
E1JEX TIL that King Tutankhamun (14th Century BC Pharaoh) was entombed with a dagger of "extraterrestrial origin." Advanced spectrometry tests strongly suggest the iron, nickel, and cobalt contained in the blade are from a meteorite that crashed near the the Kharga Oasis about 200 km west of the Nile.
Rod7 TIL a doctor in Florida realized the infrared rays he was using to treat bladder disease was also giving women orgasams. He then built infrared technology into a vibrator.
OoLyg TIL Joseph Smith ran for president in 1844. Smith had sent letters to the major candidates but all ignored him or did not commit to helping the Latter-day Saints. On 27 June Smith was killed by an angry mob, making him the first American presidential candidate to be assassinated.
GYN8G TIL that butter sticks are differently shaped and packaged differently depending on whether you live east or west of the Rocky Mountains.