› added 2 years ago

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TIL that the flag commonly believed nowadays to be the official flag of Austria-Hungary was actually their civil ensign, only used by merchant ships and consulates. Austria-Hungary actually had no official flag, often flying the Austrian and Hungarian flags together instead.

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N7DnQ TIL that there is another type of diamond called Lonsdaleite, which are naturally produced at meteorite impact sites. They are about 58 percent harder than regular diamonds, and are much rarer and more valuable.
graG7 TIL A "boneappletea" moment like "escape goat" or "all intensive purposes" is actually called an Eggcorn.
9w8eQ TIL of WT Stead a pioneering journalist and editor, who led investigations into underage prostitution and Jack The Ripper before eventually dying on the RMS Titanic (whose sinking he had predicted) after giving up his seat in a lifeboat.
dDedK TIL The world's earliest known fossilised forest is in Minehead, UK. Recently discovered, it is four million years older than the previous record holder (New York State)
6QaQ TIL that Mexican drug cartels kidnap innocent people and force them to fight to the death in gladiatorial combat