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133

TIL the inventors of Bubble Wrap were originally trying to make 3D plastic wallpaper.

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ne8K9 TIL about the Irish bank strikes. About a year in total, economists predicted a massive economic catastrophe; however, "The effect on the Irish economy was surprisingly small, as Irish citizens traded cheques among themselves based on mutual trust, effectively substituting them for cash."
m1GvM TIL of John Darwin, who faked his death in 2002 to escape mounting debts. He avoided detection for five years until he returned to the UK, faking amnesia, to get a passport so he could own property in Panama. His plan collapsed when a photo of him and his wife taken years after his "death" emerged.
GY5eE TIL Rober E Lee inherited his Father-in-law's plantation and instead of emancipating the enslaved people as instructed by the will; decided to run the plantation himself splitting families and being so cruel it led to a slave revolt.
BvZk TIL - Standing like a Superhero for as little as two minutes changes our testosterone and cortisol levels, increases our appetite for risk, causes us to perform better in job interviews, and generally configures our brains to cope well in stressful situations
1aLKD TIL about Don Ritchie, "The Angel of the Gap", who, over the course of his life, successfully talked down over 160 people from jumping at a popular suicide spot near Sydney, Australia. For his efforts he was awarded the Order of Australia medal in 2006.