› added 11 years ago

170

TIL that it takes 10,000 to 170,000 years for the light, to go from the core of the sun to the surface

Read more sunearthday.gsfc.nasa.gov

via reddit.com

D16vv TIL that the hexagonally shaped mirror segments of the James Webb telescope can each move 1/10,000th the diameter of a human hair in order to accurately focus on deep space.
kmRB TIL that because of an old superstition, several ravens are kept at the Tower of London at all times. These ravens are enlisted soldiers of the Kingdom, and have occasionally been dismissed for bad conduct. While wild ravens live for 10-15 years, Tower ravens can live past 40 years.
0wG6j TIL members of Mother Teresa's order would secretly baptise dying patients of other religions. Patients were asked if they wanted a 'ticket to heaven'. While pretending to cool the patients forehead, words were quietly recited and the ceremony performed.
xL6g TIL that, despite making up via http://ift.tt/1e0aSni
6WGW TIL that a physics professor at NYU managed to publish a 100% bullshitted paper in a respected academic journal to show that they would publish anything that “sounded good and flattered the editors’ ideological preconceptions”.