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TIL the concept of national parks was called the greatest idea America ever had. The idea to protect natural wonders for the enjoyment of future generations was unprecedented worldwide before Yellowstone.

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a8Gxy TIL the uniform dark gray background color that many people report seeing in the absence of light is called Eigengrau or dark light or brain gray.
9VLX TIL a Hiroshima policeman went to Nagasaki to teach police about ducking after the atomic flash. As a result of this timely warning, not a single Nagasaki policeman died.
kJZme TIL about a woman who asked to be tortured and killed for sexual gratification
4xk6 TIL that the Peregrine Falcon hunts by diving at 230+ mph straight down, and killing its prey on impact with a balled foot. It kills other birds with a literal falcon punch.
j6ZVa TIL: OSAM-1 is a NASA spacecraft designed to test on-orbit refueling of satellites. Its launch is currently planned for no earlier than 2025. Its first objective would be the complex refueling of Landsat 7, an existing satellite launched in 1999.