› added 11 years ago

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TIL When Stalin’s son attempted suicide by shooting himself, Stalin’s response to finding out he would survive was “He cant even shoot straight”.

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VMXo0 TIL in 1952, students at the University of Washington tricked their teacher by creating a false student named John Rainwater. It has now been used as a pseudonym by multiple renowned mathematicians.
85bG TIL In WWII the Allies used the price of oranges in Paris as an indicator of whether railroad bridges had been bombed successfully.
JYgkk TIL that Chichen Itza was constructed so that on the spring and autumn equinox it creates the image of a snake slithering down the pyramid to honor the Mayan deity Kukulan, the Feathered Serpent.
neWo9 National Geographic explorer and grantee Gregg Treinish wants everyone to know about the hidden toxic cost of synthetic fabrics. Tiny, invisible microplastics are entering our waterways straight from our washing machines. About 2,000 synthetic particles are released from washing a single polyester fleece jacket. All clothing items—including cotton and wool—shed micro-fibers when washed, but the natural fibers biodegrade. Synthetic particles don't degrade and can absorb toxins while traveling through the waterways. If they're eaten by small organisms, such as fish, they can bioaccumulate and end up on our dinner plates. Read more about how you can minimize microplastics' impact on the environmentMore from Gregg TreinishClick here to read more about microplastics in the ocean
vwBx TIL that the world’s shortest commercially available flight is only 2 minutes long; can be as short as 47 seconds in ideal conditions!