› added 6 years ago

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TIL one of the origin theories of the modern military salute comes from France. Knights were thought to greet one another in respect by lifting their visor with their free hand to reveal their face. The hand gesture of lifting the visor being similar to the "salute" hand gesture we do today.

Oo4g4 TIL in 1973, a Marine pilot took a base helicopter and three crew members without permission to assist New Orleans police officers in fighting a mass shooter atop a downtown building. His actions saved countless lives, and he retired as a Lt General in 1990.
kJ0PB TIL that Neptune's deep blue color were not accurately color balanced and its contrast was enhanced. In reality, it has a pale blue color, very similar to Uranus
kJnr7 TIL a poorly designed wireless communications system contributed to deaths of 343 firefighters on 9/11. Back then, emergency services ran many different communication systems which couldn't talk to each other, hindering the evacuation of the firefighters and the overall emergency response.
XEyOR TIL if you are attacked by a bear in Yellowstone, you should not fight back. If you do, there's an 80% chance of serious injury, vs 75% chance of minor injury by doing nothing.
x6bV1 TIL: scholars Karl Popper and Wittgenstein once argued whether philosophical problems existed. After Popper said moral rules were legitimate problems, Wittgenstein pointed a fire poker at Popper, daring him to give an example, to which Popper replied: Not to threaten visiting lecturers with pokers