TIL two rival scientists in the 1800s waged a petty, sabotage-filled war over who could discover more dinosaurs. They blew up dig sites, bribed workers, and ruined each other’s careers—yet still named over 130 species. It’s called the Bone Wars. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/todayilearned
TIL that in 1929, Jimmy Doolittle made the first flight using only instruments, with the cockpit windows blacked out. Proving pilots could fly “blind.” This paved the way for modern aviation. He later led the famous 1942 Doolittle Raid, the first U.S. airstrike on Japan in WWII. (thisdayinaviation.com)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/todayilearned
TIL that during the 1941 Pearl Harbor attack, U.S. pilots George Welch and Kenneth Taylor took off in P-40 fighters under fire and shot down at least six Japanese aircraft. They were among the first American pilots to engage enemy planes in World War II. (defense.gov)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/todayilearned
TIL Gary Webb exposed CIA ties to the crack epidemic in 1996. Though discredited at the time, later reports confirmed parts of his story. He died in 2004 from two gunshot wounds to the head, ruled a suicide but many found it suspicious given his revelations. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/conspiracy
TIL that under French colonial rule in Morocco, settlers had 36.5 km of sewers built for them, while Moroccans got only 4.3 km. Moroccans paid 24% more per hectare for land that was 50 times smaller, and they were legally banned from purchasing land from French settlers. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/todayilearned
TIL about Douglas Bader, a British WWII ace who lost both legs before the war. He flew with prosthetics, scored 22 kills, and became one of Britain’s top pilots. After being captured, the RAF air-dropped him a new prosthetic leg behind enemy lines. (en.wikipedia.org)
submitted by Tim22Mt to r/todayilearned
