› added 4 years ago

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TIL that cold sores are a symptom of herpes, 90% of the world's adults have HSV-1 (Herpes Simplex Virus) that is closely related to the one that causes genital herpes HSV-2. Cold sores can be contagious even if no sores are visible.

Read more mayoclinic.org

via reddit.com

p8mbp TIL that using your non-dominant hand for mundane tasks, like eating or opening doors, for two weeks can improve your self-control and memory.
nerJb TIL the modern polo shirt was designed so the collar would intentionally be popped, preventing the sun from burning tennis players' necks.
jYVE TIL Beetlejuice was only in 17.5 minutes of his own 1.5 hour movie.
Me0M8 TIL that the label "Made in Germany" was invented by the British in the late 1800s to harm German industries, who they considered cheap copycats. Antagonized by this German industry started a huge quality offensive and the label turned into a seal of quality.
OojAg Today I learned that the family name of Monty Python veteran, John Cleese, was actually Cheese, which his father felt was embarrassing, and changed it to Cleese when he enlisted during WWI. He later made it official by a deed poll in 1923.