› added 4 years ago

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TIL that there is a blind cave beetle named after Adolf Hitler, Anophthalmus hitleri. Nazi memorabilia collectors willing to pay up to £1200 for a specimen are putting it at risk of extinction.

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via reddit.com

awgg0 TIL of John Wojtowicz, who robbed a bank to fund his partner’s gender reassignment surgery. In prison, they made a movie about the crime and he used the money he earned from selling the rights to finally pay for her surgery.
6ErEm TIL: The ancient Romans used a plant called Silphium as an effective contraceptive. It was worth more than gold and was driven to extinction
Xjbr TIL Comedian and filmmaker Mel Brooks not only discovered Dave Chappelle, he also discovered Gene Wilder (The original Willy Wonka). He also served as a Combat Engineer in the Battle of the Bulge, defusing explosives, and set up his own loud speakers and sang to enemy propaganda loudspeakers.
mByY TIL of “Fan Death”, a well known myth in South Korean culture, that running an electric fan in a closed room with unopened or no windows can lead to death. Despite no concrete evidence to support the concept, fan death persists due to its popularity as an urban myth or superstition.
9wMEB TIL in 2004 a brawl broke out at an NBA game between the Detroit Pistons and the Indiana Pacers after Pacer Ron Artest has a beer thrown at him. The game was ended unfinished, 9 players including Artest were suspended, 5 players were charged with assault and 5 fans were permabanned from the venue.