› added 6 years ago

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TIL California's economy is now the 5th-biggest in the world, and has overtaken the UK, India & France

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W7gR8 TIL about fatal familial insomnia (FFI), an extremely rare brain disease that causes the victim to lose their ability of sleep permanently, resulting in death
78GkM TIL that the oldest known prosthetic leg dates back to 300BC and was crafted by Romans from bronze and iron with a wooden core.
rRO00 TIL strong odors, such as cologne and perfume, may cause a person's blood vessels to swell and dilate and, in turn, stimulate the nerve system in the brain associated with head pain causing headaches and migraines.
jN79X TIL the city of Venice is actually mostly on the mainland. The historic old town is in the lagoon (the "floating city"), while 4/5ths of the city's 260 000 residents live on the mainland where there are normal streets, etc.
MYvm TIL that concrete is sometimes imbued with special bacteria, allowing itself to self-heal and strengthen through calcification.