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TIL the Chinese women who presented the medals in the 2008 Olympics had to be 168-174 centimetres, weigh up to 55 kg, and have an upper to lower-body ratio of 11:13. They trained daily by balancing books on their heads, clenching chopsticks between their teeth, and jamming paper between their knees

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a8WnA TIL in June 1942, Japan launched an invasion of the Aleutian Islands in Alaska, marking the only military campaign of WWII to take place in North America
epBJb TIL The USS Indianapolis delivered the enriched uranium and parts for the "Little Boy" atom bomb dropped on Hiroshima, but no one onboard knew the contents of this cargo. The uranium was secretly monitored by a radiologist throughout the trip to make sure the sailors would not be poisoned.
X0oDQ TIL: A study by the Nation Center for Health Statistics found that married couples are live longer. Experts suggest that people live longer when you have someone reinforcing healthy behaviors. Men, in particular, according to Director Michael Rendall, derive more health benefits than women.
b9XV4 TIL: Verizon will hang up on you (and refuse to communicate) if you inform them that you are recording the phone call. Even though they require you to let them record you.
ZpKwB TIL that the city of Philadelphia, which was where Washington had to live when he was president, had laws in place that said any slave that lived there for more than 6 months would be freed. So, Washington set up a rotational schedule exchanging his slaves between states to prevent their freedom.