› added 2 years ago

134

TIL in 1999, British geneticist John Stephen Jones FRS revealed that approx.11 million of the (then) UK population of 58.7 million had a recent Black ancestor they weren't aware of. This was due to the 18th Century Black populations across the country that had been 'absorbed' into the masses...

Read more progress.org.uk

via reddit.com

ADdOn TIL, killer whales are actually a species of large dolphins!
nWyP9 TIL Grapple - the grape flavoured apples are defunct - and I'm heartbroken
9Y1dG TIL of "Tuatara", reptiles native to New Zealand and the sole surviving member of its order, which originated in the Triassic period 240 M yrs ago. They are related to lizards and snakes but have unusual features such as they don't have external ears, and have a third eye on the top of their head.
KrbJ TIL when Harvey Weinstein wanted to edit Princess Mononoke to make it more marketable its director, Miyazaki, sent Weinstein a katana with a message stating “No cuts.”
oRve8 TIL In 1997 a number of people from Kentucky developed CJD (aka human mad cow disease). It was discovered that all had consumed squirrel brains.