› added 8 years ago

149

TIL America’s obesity rate has gone from 13 percent (1965) to 36 percent (2010)

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RE46 TIL there is an area that has 10 hour lightning storms up to 260 days per year. The storms are so bright sailors use them for navigation.
Wk4gX TIL some of Marie Curie's books and papers from the 1890s are considered too dangerous to be handled, because of their radioactive contamination. They are kept in lead boxes, and those who wish to consult them must wear protective clothing.
nAg7 TIL Marie Curie was the first woman to win the Nobel Prize, but also the first person (man or woman) ever to win the award twice and for achievements in two distinct scientific fields; Chemistry and Physics.
ndMG TIL that the word “silly” changed meaning over time from “happy” to “blessed”, “pious,” “innocent”, “harmless,” “pitiable”, and then “weak” before reaching the current meaning.
JvDv TIL the BB gun company Daisy originally manufactured windmills, and included a complementary BB gun with each windmill purchase in order to promote sales. The guns became so popular that the company stopped selling windmills and started selling BB guns.