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TIL the story of Horatio on the Bridge. A junior Roman officer, he defended a bridge leading to Rome when an Etruscan army invaded. While the rest had retreated, Horatio rallied men to destroy the bridge behind him while he stopped the enemy from crossing. Jumping into the river, he swam to safety.

b6mVZ TIL: French Canadians has a tale featuring a La Chasse-galerie or "Bewitched Canoe". Lumberjacks made a deal with the devil for a flying canoe to visit their lovers quickly. The condition was they can't fly over churches or mention God. Their success varied each story. It was based on The Wild Hunt.
apay TIL A species of snail with a metallic armour of iron has been discovered living on the bases of a hydrothermal vent field in the Indian Ocean. Only living creature to have ax exoskeleton re-enforced with metal. That’s a badass snail right there.
xndD TIL Yao Ming’s conservation campaigns have led to a 50% reduction in the consumption of shark fin soup in China
R7Gaw TIL Germany was one the first countries to introduce animal protection laws, including banning cutting the tails and ears of dogs without anesthesia or causing unnecessary harm to animals. This was largely thanks to its animal-loving leader at the time, Adolf Hitler.
aylb TIL The prototype of the chainsaw we are familiar with today in the timber industry was pioneered in the late 18th century by two Scottish doctors as a surgical tool to aid in the process of diffucult childbirth