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39

TIL: The United States once did not have a vice president.

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69KGX TIL before Julius Caesar's reforms, the 355 day Roman year required a special month every few years to line the calendar back up with the seasons. The month was often enacted or cancelled for political reasons, so every year people outside Rome had to wait weeks to learn what the actual date was.
xVA6b TIL Michael Jackson composed songs despite not playing any instruments. He would build each element of a track with his voice, so pitch perfect that studio musicians could match chords to his singing.
PbgO TIL: Now that Japan has ceased whaling, Norway kills more whales than any other country.
5V1D9 TIL the echo effect used in Duane Eddy’s 1958 instrumental hit “Rebel Rouser” was achieved using a 2,000-gallon water tank the studio had purchased from a junkyard
DQ1lg TIL amidst early concerns about leaded gas, the engineer who discovered tetraethyllead as an additive demonstrated its 'safety' by pouring it over his hands and inhaling its vapor, stating he could do this every day without issue. He later took a leave of absence due to lead poisoning.