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1500 questions
51
votes
2 answers
How were tanks scrapped after World War Two?
Both Axis & Allied nations produced thousands of tanks during the Second World War. However, not many of these vehicles survive to this day (there are exceptions of course). When reading about the fate of these vehicles, it's always said that these…
Gouden baas
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51
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7 answers
How did people wash dishes before dish detergent?
Using a sponge and dish detergent is a convenient way to clean one's dishes and utensils, but how did people clean their dishes before the invention of dish detergent?
N4v
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51
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3 answers
Why didn't Portugal found universities in its colonies like Spain?
Imperial Spain and Portugal conquered and developed huge empires. Both monarchies were Catholic and seized huge amounts of land in the 1500s.
Both European motherlands had numerous universities, but their colonies looked less similar. Brazil and the…
Aaron Brick
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51
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1 answer
Why were there no nuclear detonations in 1959?
According to this visualization there were no nuclear detonations in 1959, and only 3 by France in 1960. Why were there no nuclear detonations by the USA or USSR in 1959 and 1960 but over 50 in each years before and after this period?
Eric Johnson
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51
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9 answers
When and how did the USA and the UK become allies?
You may remember that the United States and Great Britain had a minor spat in 1776, which shall we say, did not put them on the friendliest of terms. In 1812, while Britain was focused on its war with France, the same country decided to take…
Affable Geek
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51
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2 answers
Why does German money from the 1940s not bear Nazi symbols?
I have a 5-mark German banknote (I think from 1941 or 1942), looking exactly like this:
I am curious why the banknote not only does not bear a portrait of Hitler, but doesn't include any German state symbols. The only swastika on the banknote is in…
Anixx
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50
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3 answers
Why is AD in Latin and BC is in English?
Why does one abbreviation for designating time come from Latin (AD: anno Domini), but the other corresponding to the time before that from English (BC: before Christ)?
BC = before Christ
AD = anno Domini
I didn't find an explanation in…
Jan
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50
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1 answer
How did German unification affect existing sentences for criminal convicts?
The German reunification of 1990 was legally the annexation of West Berlin (a separately administered occupied territory) and East Germany (the German Democratic Republic, or GDR) by West Germany (the Federal Republic of Germany, or FRG). What…
Psychonaut
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4 answers
Why is Christopher Columbus credited for "discovering" America?
Even if we ignore the millions of native Americans who lived in the continent before Columbus "discovered" it, even if we ignore other civilizations (eg: Polynesians, Phoenicians, Chinese, Arabs, etc.) who might have been to the American…
Orion
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50
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4 answers
How did the authorities not find the speakeasy clubs during the prohibition?
I've always been baffled and fascinated by this "prohibition" era in the USA between 1920 and 1933. That's 13 years!
I know very well about the concept of "speakeasy" clubs, that is, illegal bars. These were physical locations (obviously), allegedly…
Samaad
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50
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10 answers
How did pilots know when to release bombs on airplanes during World War2?
Given that during this time computing technology wasn't advanced enough to calculate when to drop bombs accurately on a target, I recall hearing something about bomber pilots using a modified watch to deploy bombs.
I was wondering is this true and…
John Rawls
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50
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4 answers
Why do the pyramids show less erosion than the Sphinx?
Traditional Egyptology maintains that the Great Sphinx was carved around the same time that the Great Pyramid was constructed. I am relatively new to Egyptology but it seems clear that the base of the Sphinx (beneath the restoration masonry), the…
JeneralJames
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50
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3 answers
Why was World War I ended on Nov 11 11:00, rather than immediately upon signing the armistice?
The First World War ended on 11th Nov at 11:00. But my question is why? If peace has been agreed (The armistice was signed at 5:00), why not stop the fighting with immediate effect rather than have further pointless deaths?
I know that…
komodosp
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50
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8 answers
When and how did people begin to consider slavery immoral?
Consider this: In the ancient world, murder and theft were prohibited. However, slavery was ubiquitous and considered normal. AFAIK, nobody thought of it as immoral, though probably some called for kind treatment of slaves.
So when did people start…
Lev
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50
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5 answers
How did they cook on ancient ships?
In ancient times, ships would often be at sea for extended periods of time. During this time, I'm assuming they must have done some form of cooking, otherwise they would have just eaten cold, pre-prepared food for the whole time between stops at…
rhughes
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