› added 7 years ago

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TIL ‘Die Hard’ is based on a novel that, itself, was a sequel to another book. The first story was made into a Frank Sinatra film which meant the producers had to first contractually offer the starring role to Sinatra, who was in his 70’s.

KO4wJ TIL of Dennis Tito, the first space tourist. He paid $20 million in 2001 to spend 7 days, 22 hours, and 4 minutes in space.
16k7D TIL: The scent of freshly cut grass is actually a plant's distress signal. When damaged, grass releases "green leaf volatiles" (GLVs), which act as a cry for help. These chemicals attract insects that protect the plant by eating herbivores, making the familiar smell a signal of defense.
PYBJg TIL outraged that President Mugabe was going to Brussels to conclude an aid and trade deal & no one was challenging him over his human rights abuses, Peter Tatchell attempted a citizen's arrest on him. Tatchell was badly beaten by bodyguards, but it helped make Mugabe an international pariah.
kOQL4 TIL that in the 12-13 century King Gebre Mesqel Lalibela of the Zagwe Dynasty commissioned the building of 11 massive rock-hewn Churches at Lalibela in the Western Ethiopian Highlands. They used basic tools like hammers and chisels to excavate the churches out of monolithic structures.
nW8b9 TIL: There is a study on hobbies which categorizes them from the best to worst in terms of happiness to cost ratio. The most expensive are traveling ($630), Collecting ($287), and Cooking ($240). Video games only cost $71 monthly in comparison.