› added 4 years ago

61

TIL that the world's oldest postcard called "Penny Penates" was intended as a practical joke on post office clerks.

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NXGj8 TIL In 2017, six Chinese officials were punished for falling asleep in a meeting about how to motivate lazy bureaucrats.
8eyLV Today I learned that during the American Civil War, approximately 60,000 amputations were performed, accounting for about three-quarters of all surgeries during the conflict.
5YeEp TIL an ant mega-colony exists across 3 continents and is thought to contain billions of ants, all of which recognise each other to be from the same colony. The largest part of the colony is in Europe and is thought to spread 6,000km (3,700 miles) along the Mediterranean coast
KvEJ TIL the band Kansas had one shot to impress a record producer in the small town of Ellinwood, Kansas. In order to look as good as possible the band promised free beer to all people who attended. The venue was packed and the producer signed them.
0wENM TIL a rare 400-year-old shimpaku tree, which was due to be entered in a Japanese beauty competition, was stolen from a roughly 5,000 hectare park run by a fifth generation bonsai master whose family practice dates back to the Edo period (1603-1868)