› added 11 years ago

78

TIL that not only has there never been a better rocket than the Saturn V (built in 1967), but that today’s engineers can’t even recreate it.

Read more haydenplanetarium.org

via reddit.com

Y7x9Z TIL Dabitum, a slave-girl during the Old Babylonian period (c. 1900–1600 BC), is known today for her letter to her slave master concerning a miscarriage, which she wrote either herself or with the help of a scribe, to the absent father to communicate the distressing news and beg for help
J1lnv TIL about Lion City, an ancient underwater city in China that’s about 1,400 years old. It was purposely flooded in 1959 to create a hydroelectric dam and rediscovered in 2001 in excellent condition, with preserved homes, temple structures, paved roads, and even wood.
JYPv TIL that 25% of all male black swans are homosexual. Gay black swan couples will only mate with females to reproduce, chasing away the female once her eggs have been laid.
XE7JD TIL that in 1667, the first human blood transfusion was performed; sheep's blood was successfully transfused in to a 15 year old boy and he lived. This was 233 years before blood typing was discovered.
VZ78 TIL When researching the film “Cast Away”, Screen writer William Broyal Jr deliberately stranded himself on an isolated island for one week to force himself to find food, water and obtain shelter. During this time, a volleyball washed up on shore. This was the inspiration for Wilson.