› added 8 years ago

221

TIL General Electric built a powered exoskeleton which would enable the wearer to lift 1500 pounds. It was never turned on with a person inside because any attempt to use the full exoskeleton resulted in a violent, uncontrolled motion.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

p8Wmb TIL that a 'creole' is a stable language developed from mixing other languages together suddenly (no, not just French/English - any pair of languages), while a 'pidgin' is simplified bridging language between two languages.
X0Dok TIL In 1965, an excavation team discovered the Sword of Goujian in a tomb in Hubei, China. Encased in a nearly air-tight wooden box next to a skeleton. The sword is over 2500 years old but was in perfect condition, test affirmed that the blade could easily cut a stack of twenty pieces of paper.
gMyX TIL Some ants will make themselves explode as a last resort during a fight
NRPQ TIL the average American family’s net worth fell by nearly 40% between 2007 and 2010
vP4ar TIL Flamma, one of the most successful gladiators in his time under the Roman Empire, through great skill & bravery was awarded his freedom four times but refused each time & instead chose to remain a gladiator. He fought 34 times, won 21 of them, fought to a draw 9 times, & won reprieve 4 times.