› added 5 years ago

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TIL that in 1720 a ship full of precious goods and sick people arrived in Marseille/France. In spite of clear signs, greedy merchands put pressure an the authorities to shorten the quarantine and not to burn the freight. More than 100.000 people died because of pestilence in the next two years.

v10OK TIL the Queen piece in chess was originally a Visier, akin to prime minister. In Europe, according to one theory, it changed to a queen during the 13th century as prominent European Queens (Eleanor of Aquitaine/Blanche of Castile) better reflected the role of a King's source of power and influence.
neenb TIL that a 28-hour killing spree was stopped by Joseph Lozito. After the killer's arrest, the police left Lozito in the subway to bleed. Lozito later sued the police and took it to Supreme Court which both ruled that the police had no duty to protect its citizens.
pxK4 TIL Microwaving food does not diminish the nutrients. When done right, it’s actually one of the most nutritionally sound methods in food preparation.
9wxeD TIL about the Gnomes of Wrocław. In the 1980s people in the Polish city began painting gnomes over Soviet propaganda. After the fall of the USSR, a sculptor was hired to place gnomes around the city to honor their history. Others joined in and now there are over 400 gnomes and an annual parade.
D45r TIL if your name is based on Scottish ancestral names, Mc means “son of”, and “O” means grandson of.