› added 6 years ago

1350

TIL Parasite (parasitus) was an accepted role in Roman society, in which a person could live off the hospitality of others, in return for "flattery, simple services, and a willingness to endure humiliation".

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M5Am TIL the U.S. Patent office allowed someone to patent the idea of “wireless communication” in 2010. They are now suing Apple & Samsung.
E1aMx TIL about "Myst Island" a proposed theme park at Disney World. A limited number of guests would get ferried to an 11-acre island designed like Myst. They'd spend hours there, exploring areas and discovering clues non-linearly. Theoretically, no 2 guests would have the same adventure.
6EnKl TIL Dr Seuss' wife Helen, who he relied on for editorial input and support, committed suicide following a series of illnesses and Seuss' extramarital affair. In a note left for him, she said she "cannot conceive of life without you," and told him to preserve his reputation by lying about her motive.
lod05 TIL that cheek dimples are a genetically transmitted abnormality of a muscle in the cheek. Also, almost all babies have cheek dimples because of so much fat in their cheeks which is required for suckling and causes facial depression. They disappear once the baby fat melts away.
V6jm TIL that in the islands of Tanna there is a “cargo cult” that worships the U.S. army and a Jesus-like WWII soldier named John Frum. The natives dress in American military uniforms and build fake airplane runways, believing John will return to bring trucks, Coca-Cola, radios, and other riches.