› added 4 months ago

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TIL why Roman concrete was and is so strong!

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QJ6oM TIL that computers have been around since the 1600s. Computers were originally just people who would do calculations and compute things. In the 19th century, computers were usually teams of women who would do complex calculations by hand. As a result, the earliest programmers were also women.
epe4E TIL how learning a new language can help brain development. I've noticed my thinking change in the past when I learned a new language but now this video gives more insight into that.
woy17 TIL: During WW2, dancing was explicitly allowed as one of the recreations not to be banned by the UK. Most recreational activities were banned to focus on the war effort. During dance activities, air raid rehearsals would occur midway and they vacated the dance floor in 30 seconds.
b6MwQ TIL Montgomery's memoirs criticised many of his wartime comrades harshly, including Eisenhower. After publishing it, he had to apologize in a radio broadcast to avoid a lawsuit. He was also stripped of his honorary citizenship of Alabama, and was challenged to a duel by an Italian lawyer.
O6Xg TIL that Tyrannosaurus Rex is only the 14th largest predator to have ever been on Earth. The sperm whale is actually the largest.