› added 9 years ago

131

TIL JJ Abrams’ production company, Bad Robot, has their headquarters intentionally incorrectly labelled as the “National Typewriter Company,” as Abrams likes typewriters and misdirection.

Read more wikipedia.org

via ift.tt

l0Ba TIL that the claw on the end of a tape measure is supposed to be loose. The distance it moves is equal to the thickness of the claw, to take into account the difference between placing the end over an edge and pressing it against an object.
YX9v TIL that the reflective surface of the Vdara hotel in Las Vegas concentrates the sun’s rays into a “death ray” that creates dangerously hot areas around the pool.
78Gd7 TIL that German scientists in the 1930s were the first to conceive of the atom bomb, but their research was abruptly ended in 1939 when the government conscripted them. The Nazis never got close to making a functional atom bomb because their scientists were in the battlefield.
E1E0X TIL the first airplane dogfight was between two American mercenaries on opposing sides in the Mexican Revolution. Both men had orders to kill, but neither pilot wanted to harm the other, so they exchanged multiple volleys of pistol fire, intentionally missing before exhausting their ammunition.
bPDj TIL in the ‘Mosque of the Prophet’ in Medina, where the prophet Muhammad is buried, there is an empty spot beside Muhammad reserved for Jesus. It is believed Jesus will return; kill the Antichrist, rule for 40 years, and then be buried next to Muhammad. He will also break the cross and kill the pigs