› added 6 years ago

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TIL about the Toba Catastrophe - the theory that 75,000 years ago, a massive volcano eruption reduced the human population to 3000, causing a genetic bottleneck that has reduced the genetic diversity in humans today.

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p8dDG TIL that in the Middle Ages, being lovesick was a considered real disease, caused by humoral imbalance, and treated by exposure to light, gardens, calm and rest, inhalations, and warm baths, as well as with a diet of lamb, lettuce, eggs, fish, and ripe fruit.
Kk6a TIL Most batteries can be thrown away normally and don’t need special recycling ever since US congress banned the sale of batteries containing mercury
0w4kM TIL Vans' original store didn't have any shoes for sale when it opened in 1966. Still, 12 people ordered shoes based on the samples on display, but when they returned to get their shoes, the owners couldn't make change. The owners said to take the shoes and return later to pay. All 12 customers did.
wBy8 TIL A customer was gifted overgenerous contract terms due to a misplaced comma in a contract with aerospace giant Lockheed Martin. The erroneous comma radically altered the inflation-adjustment formula resulting in $70 million loss to Lockheed Martin.
nmko TIL only 2 people knew Darth Vader was Lukes father, 6 total before audiences saw it. A fake page was put in the script; Mark Hamill was informed 5 minutes prior to shooting the scene, and was told the man playing Darth Vader would be using incorrect dialogue, and to “act” as if he said it.