› added 9 years ago

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TIL the “golden spike” didn’t actually complete the Transcontinental Railroad. Despite the well-known ceremony, the actual completion took place 15 months later in Colorado. Until then, passengers had to cross the Missouri River by boat.

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QNawE TIL that the references in the song We Didn't Start the Fire by Billy Joel are in chronological order from 1950-1989
dDvMj TIL that Spanish moss is not a moss; it’s more closely related to grasses than to mosses. It’s also not Spanish; it’s native to the southern US, Central America, and South America.
XEX0R TIL that Magda and Joseph Goebbels in the last days of WWII and while confined to the Führerbunker, arranged to have all 6 of their children killed with cyanide as they slept. They believed the children would support their decision to commit suicide if they were old enough to speak for themselves.
wLppJ TIL FARC got tricked into giving up their most high profile hostage and 14 others. The Colombian army made up a NGO which would transfer captives by helicopter. Once aboard the chopper, the soldiers revealed the ruse and arrested the militants, freeing all hostages. Not a single shot was fired.
5YWmQ TIL the Philippine eagle, the national bird of the Philippines, is easily recognized by its shaggy, brown and white, mane-like crest. It is the only blue-eyed bird of prey in the world and has 8 times the visual acuity of humans. Females lay only one egg every two years. Its lifespan is ~60 years.