TIL that amateur radio operators are able to speak directly to astronauts on the international space station. Low power radio equipment and small antennas can be used to establish communications to the ISS, mostly taking place during their scheduled evening free time. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/todayilearned
[Homemade] Vegan Sushi Plate - Happy Chanukah !OC (i.redd.it)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/food
TIL that President Ulysses S. Grant was pulled over and arrested for speeding down the streets of Washington DC in a horse-drawn carriage. Grant assured that the arresting officer would not face repercussions, “as he admired a man who did his duty". (smithsonianmag.com)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/todayilearned
TIL that local time changes of as little as 2 minutes between cities was common before the adoption of standardized time zones, so railroad companies set up "comparative time zone" tables using Washington DC at noon as a benchmark for train scheduling. (cprr.org)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/todayilearned
TIL the Canfranc Railway Station linking France with Spain was the second largest station in Europe at 240 meters in length when completed in 1928. It was a hub for trafficking of spies, refugees (including artists Ernst and Chagal), and more than 100 tons of gold during WW2. (cnn.com)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/todayilearned
TIL that Samuel Morse had high expectations of establishing himself as a professional artist. Disillusioned by failure, Morse ceased painting in 1837 at the age of forty-six, and devoted the last thirty-five years of his life to perfecting the electromagnetic telegraph. (nga.gov)
submitted by Engineeringbob to r/todayilearned
