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TIL each pawn in chess used to have its own name, after one of several commoners’ occupations.

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BrW9y TIL Grapes in a microwave create plasma because the wave lengths are the same size as the grapes
J18e4 TIL at least 25,000 workers died during construction of the Panama Canal between 1881-1914. Construction was started by France and finished by the USA . The deaths are attributed to a combination of disease and injuries resulting from construction and environmental disruption.
7w4r TIL the 1556 Shaanxi earthquake is considered by scientists the greatest natural disaster in human history with 830,000 deaths.
L5KQ TIL Trey Parker and Matt Stone’s original title for the South Park movie was “All Hell Breaks Loose,” but the MPAA denied it. They instead went with a circumcision joke.
R4j4 TIL when going to battle Rajputs would fashion false trunks for their horses, making them appear to be baby elephants which the enemy’s elephants instinctively would not attack.