› added 11 years ago

91

TIL that between 50-100 Americans currently use a plutonium-powered pacemaker. They are to be returned to Los Alamos upon the owner’s death.

Read more orau.org

via reddit.com

4Xoyb TIL about the Nigerian Civil War, where the US, UK, and the Soviet Union were supporting the same side during the cold war, while China, France, and West Germany were supporting the other side
D0VJ TIL a group of teenagers known as the “Bling Ring” tried robbing Paris Hilton’s house perceiving her as ‘dumb’, finding the key under the doormat and front door unlocked. They robbed her house 4 more times over the next 3 months taking $3M worth of her clothing and jewelry before being caught.
M5o0 TIL the Larry the Lobster sketch on SNL where Eddie Murphy asks the viewers to call-in to spare Larry’s life caused such a spike on phone networks that AT&T established communication with TV networks so that they could be warned of potentially disruptive future events. It remains in use to this day
e0RxE TIL That most female cheetahs go their entire lives without raising a single cub to maturity. The species is dependent on "supermoms" that are particularly adept at raising cubs. One such supermom, Eleanor, has mothered at least 10% of all adult cheetahs in the southern Serengeti.
Yp1nr TIL that in June 1982 British Airways Flight 9 (callsign Speedbird 9) managed to land safely in Jakarta with no casualties, despite having accidentally flown into a volcanic ash cloud that shut down all four engines and sandblasted the windscreen