Post * v1KgD — Curious Curator

› added 7 years ago

275

TIL that only 3 bowlers have picked up the 7-10 split on television and that despite many shows and movies showing it being picked up by directly sliding one pin into another, this is, in fact, impossible.

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R5nLQ TIL that in 1846 Christian Friedrich Schönbein discovered a formula for nitrocellulose when working in his kitchen. He spilled nitric acid and sulfuric acid on the kitchen table, wiped it up with a cotton apron, then hung it on the stove door to dry. As soon as it was dry, the apron ignited.

ZpmYa TIL that two hurricanes can merge sometimes forming a larger, stronger hurricane. It's called the "Fujiwhara effect."

9YyY6 TIL despite launching at the tail end of a year that had seen much upheaval in the United States, the effect of Apollo 8 was summed up in a telegram sent by a stranger, received by astronaut commander Frank Borman, after the mission, that stated simply "Thank you Apollo 8. You saved 1968."

XEvYX TIL about Empress Wu - China’s one and only female ruler. Harshly demonized by her contemporary historians during the Tang Dynasty, she was an ambitious and steadfast leader who strived to allow women the same rights as men.

KODGG TIL that after the Rosenhan experiment revealed how poorly psych hospitals diagnosed patients, an angry hospital told Rosenhaan to send fake patients, who they'd identify. He agreed, and over a few weeks the hospital concluded 41 of 250 new patients were sent by Rosenhan. He really hadn't sent any.