TIL that Seretse Khama, former president of Botswana, managed to transform the poorest nation on earth into one of the fastest growing economies in the world https://ift.tt/0VG2gKE

TIL the last writers strike in 2008 led the first season of Breaking Bad to be two episodes shorter and kept Hank Schrader (Dean Norris) alive. He was originally planned to be killed off first season. https://ift.tt/wrXHdfE

TIL Firefighters use a chemical called "wet water". The chemicals added to the water allow it to spread efficiently, and helps put out fires. https://ift.tt/2JnlbVB

TIL contrary to popular belief, INXS frontman Michael Hutchence didn’t die by autoerotic asphyxiation. The rumour was started by his partner Paula Yates, who while grief-stricken, was unable to accept the fact that Hutchence took his own life. The coroner also confirmed that Michael died by suicide. https://ift.tt/pkRrMuj

TIL that two of the three battalions of Fiji's military is on international peacekeeping duty; one in Iraq, and another in Sinai. They are the third largest contributor to Sinai peacekeeping forces and the leading contributor to Iraq's. https://ift.tt/T32yIV4

TIL that after Rocky Marciano knocked one of his opponents Carmine Vingo into a coma, he stopped boxing until Vingo had recovered. https://ift.tt/GVDL7Hh

TIL Lynyrd Skynyrd the band who had a massive hit with their song 'Sweet Home Alabama' are actually from Jacksonville, Florida https://ift.tt/se4r15v

TIL that in 2017, several Maryland college students consumed so much alcohol at a house party, that the air in the house registered a reading of 0.01 on a breathalyzer. https://ift.tt/Se5bURp

TIL that there is a stereotype about Circassian women being the ideal standard of attractiveness for a woman to reach, the illusion being particularly strong in the 18th century with cosmetic companies going as far as to sell products that they claimed were used by Circassian women. https://ift.tt/Muzavgo

TIL that some US states, such as Massachusetts, Michigan, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, still have laws that prohibit blasphemy to varying degrees. However, the First Amendment protects freedom of speech, rendering these laws obsolete and unenforceable. https://ift.tt/4OmBeEb

TIL about Ken Saro Wiwa, an activist and writer who protested against environmental degradation of the land and waters of Ogoniland in Nigeria at the hands of the petroleum industry, especially the Royal Dutch Shell company. Shell is accused of being complicit in his arrest and subsequent execution. https://ift.tt/cptJOK6

TIL that 13% of people who receive CPR outside of a hospital are still alive a year later. https://ift.tt/VvgCA1k

TIL that a McDonald's in the Netherlands once fired an employee for selling a coworker a hamburger and then separately giving them a piece of cheese, arguing that she should've charged more for a cheeseburger. Courts ruled in the employee's favor, ordering the rest of her contract paid out in full. https://ift.tt/0OuitIK

TIL that the Komusō were Japanese monks who symbolized their absence of ego by always wearing baskets on their heads. https://ift.tt/SXeGOUk

TIL that “Stars and Stripes Forever” is an emergency alert at the circus. When it is played by the band it usually means there is a fire and that the performers and circus hands should go to their emergency stations and start evacuating people https://ift.tt/TMPsvD1

TIL while most people only know of Solid, Liquid and Gas there are around 2 dozen other states of matter, including Plasma, Time Crystals, Degenerate Matter, Superfluids, Supersolids, and the Rydberg Polaron - a state where atoms exist within other atoms. https://ift.tt/IRFQmxH

TIL in 2017, a man of the Fipa tribe disrespected his mother, and was disciplined by his tribe in the "traditional" way: Whipped, immersed in cow manure, mocked with song, and fined 1 goat and some cornmeal https://ift.tt/W1spkBG

TIL the Tower Bridge in London is a relatively modern bridge that was designed to look medieval. It's so modern in fact that there are pictures of it being built https://ift.tt/Aq8bi3H

TIL since 2020, white LED streetlights have been turning purple because of a defect during the manufacturing process between 2017 and 2019. The yellow phosphor coating was delaminating, and the blue LED began showing through, giving off a purplish glow. https://ift.tt/xpOIwCe

TIL that Salisbury Steak originated in the United States, as a meal to fit the tastes of European immigrants, named after Dr. James Salisbury, who promoted a meat-centered diet to promote health. The term Salisbury Steak has been used to identify a ground beef patty as the main course since 1897. https://ift.tt/gmHNK2n

TIL A 'munchy box' is a popular take away food item in Scotland typically consisting of kebab meat, fried chicken, pizza, chicken tikka, samosas, onion rings, chow mein noodles, pakora, naan bread, garlic bread, coleslaw, other fast foods and sauces such as curry sauce. https://ift.tt/ThJmuzO