› added 5 years ago

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TIL that Spanish conquistadors in America didn't realize the true value and rarity of platinum and only cared about gold, but counterfeiters would use platinum to make fake gold and silver, so the Spaniards would dump any confiscated platinum into the sea to try and combat this forging problem

P17ZZ TIL that an Australian man who lived by a cliff prevented at least 180 suicides in his 45 years of living there, by striking up a conversation with people contemplating suicide and inviting them to his house for tea.
DQYap TIL A slave couple escaped to the North in 1848 by disguising her, a light-skinned black woman, as his owner, and him, darker-skinned, as her valet. She was illiterate at the time, so they put her arm in a sling against signatures and pretended she was sick. An acquaintance nearly recognized them.
J1mEV TIL that British actor Charles Dance (Tywin Lannister) would apologize to his co-star Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister) while filming their scenes because of the awful behavior of his character; Dinklage was (according to Dance) the "most adorable man"
gMWQ4 TIL that some people pronounce the “s” sound by putting there tongue to their top teeth, and others make it by putting their tongue to their bottom teeth. They are know as “tippers” and “dippers” respectively.
69Y9Y TIL about Sarah Boone, a 19th century dressmaker who invented the modern day ironing board, which she particularly adapted for ironing ladies’ garments. In 1892, she became one of the first African American women to be awarded a patent.