› added 5 years ago

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TIL that, if extra-terrestrial life is found in our Solar System, it means the Great Filter (whatever keeps other life in the Cosmos from contacting us) is in Humanity's future, not its past. Basically, if we find life on Mars or Europa, we can be certain that our kind will never travel the stars.

wLKo6 TIL the so-called ‘Pillars of Creation’, which are to be found within the Eagle Nebula. The nebula lies 6,500 light years away. The ‘pillar’ on the left is 4 light-years high, which is around 24,000,000,000,000 miles, (24 trillion).
6EZ5X TIL: India is the home of 16 of the top 40 languages (# of native speakers). The number of languages listed for India is 418. Of those, 407 are living languages and 11 are extinct. Many of them have their own individual writing systems.
jxda TIL a consortium of American and German organizations cut a hole in the side of a 747 to install a 2.5m telescope. This modified plane is flown above most of the atmosphere so infrared observations can be made.
epRpE TIL Among the 210 000 burials registered in Quebec before 1800, 178 mentioned an age at death of 100 or more, including a 113 year old. This led to the idea that French Canadians have exceptional longevity. But after verification, only one centenarian remained
j6Ajp TIL Leonardo DiCaprio idolised River Phoenix as young actor and was desperate to meet him. He saw at a party but was separated by a crowd. Phoenix left the party and went straight to the Viper Room where he would die the same night