› added 7 years ago

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TIL the US dropped more bombs on Laos during the secret war, than on all countries combined in WW2 - and that 300 people still die yearly from unexploded bombs

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epre6 TIL that the iconic birdlike mask of plague doctors in the 17th century was designed to hold herbs and perfumes, which kept away bad smells, such as the smell of decaying bodies. Doctors believed the herbs would counter the "evil" smells of the plague and prevent them from becoming infected.
448w TIL in 1916 there was a lynching on a man with over 10,000 spectators, including children on lunch break. He was hung up over a fire and then had his body parts sold as souvenirs around town. Then a photographer sold his pictures of the lynching as postcards…
neab9 TIL That the attack on Pearl Harbor was so unexpected, that as the bombing began, one seaman turned to his friend and said, "This is the best damn drill the Army has ever put on!"
kOodd TIL There are 5 temples in Kyoto, Japan that have blood stained ceilings. The ceilings are made from the floorboards of a castle where warriors killed themselves after a long hold-off against an army. To this day, you can still see the bloody outlines and footprints.
wWYP TIL the word “lurker” grew to include internet behavior when dial-up bulletin board systems became popular. Those using the phone line and consuming resources (“reading”) were expected to contribute; since lurkers tied up phone lines without contributing anything, they were criticized and banned.