› added 8 months ago

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TIL about the 'criterion of embarassment', a type of analysis in which a historical account is deemed likely to be true under the inference that the author would have no reason to invent a story that would embarrass themselves. The crucifixion of Jesus is an example of such an event.

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9Ygm7 TIL that although canvas is usually made of cotton or linen today, historically it was made from hemp. This explains its similarity to the word cannabis.
QNNBE TIL Royal Marines and allied forces defeated US marines during a five day simulation called Green Dagger. The US asked for a reset halfway through and the Royal Marines went on to control two thirds of the battlefield.
DQDWe TIL The number 1 not a prime number
emnn TIL The Concorde supersonic jet stretched during flight due to the heat it generated. On its final flight the crew placed their hats into a crevice in the floor which appeared during the flight, as the aircraft cooled the crevice closed, permanently sealing their hats in the aluminum airframe.
4k88J TIL that purple became associated with royalty due to a shade of it named Tyrian purple, which was created using the mucous glands of Murex snails. Even though it smelled horrible, this pigment was treasured in ancient times as a dye because its intensity deepened with time instead of fading away.