› added 9 years ago

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TIL Signals that baffled astronomers for 17 years were traced to the observatory microwave

Read more theguardian.com

via reddit.com

BrvGD TIL a study found tobacco and tomato plants emit ultrasonic "squeals" when stressed. Microphones 4" away picked up the sounds when plants had stems cut/were under-watered: an average of 15 - 25 sounds within 1 hr from cutting, and 11 - 35 sounds per hr from drought.
N7Kbe TIL The Byrds’ “Turn, Turn, Turn” has the distinction in the US of being the #1 hit with the oldest lyrics, as 99% of it was written by King Solomon in the 10th century BCE, then rearranged by Pete Seeger in the late 1950s.
x6y90 TIL The Mercury astronaut candidate examinations involves sensory deprivation test of you being placed in a circular 8 foot deep tank of body temperature water without hallucinating. The normal reaction is for the subconscious mind to take over and one lapses into uncontrollable hallucinations
6EjjY TIL the explosion that led to the Chernobyl nuclear accident was chemical, driven by gases and steam generated by the core runaway, not by nuclear reactions. No commercial nuclear reactor contains a high enough concentration of U-235 or plutonium to cause a nuclear explosion.
WkPeX TIL the Simpsons softball episode is credited with saving at least two lives.