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TIL about the sport Slippery Stairs where contestants try to climb stairs covered in lube

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via reddit.com

WkONL TIL the African nation of Zambia aspired to beat US and Russia in the Space Race. Their "Afronaut" prep. program included using a tire swing to simulate weightlessness along with downhill barrel rolls for the g-force. They also had plans to Christianize the Martian population, among other things.
vPmLL TIL raindrops don't actually fall in a teardrop shape. Air resistance flattens them into a hamburger bun shape as they fall!
Me64B TIL The band Franz Ferdinand's name was inspired by a racehorse called Archduke Ferdinand. The horse won the Northumberland Plate in 2001 and the band liked the alliteration. Additionally the band wanted a name that would imply their music would transform the world; like Ferdinand's death did.
YpE4r Today i learned about the child birth ,and role of the oxytocin or pitocin during child birth.
GAR75 TIL Galileo was convicted of heresy partially due to a misunderstanding. In his book he gave the character arguing against Heliocentrism the name "Simplicio" after a famous philosopher. In Italian this could also be construed as "simpleton" though and the church/Pope took it as him insulting them.