› added 11 years ago

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TIL actor Benedict Cumberbatch was kidnapped and held at gunpoint before being released in the middle of South Africa with no explanation from his captors

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AD0Yo TIL that duels were so popular amongst military officials in the 1800s that the United States were running out of qualified officers and causing the War Department to put a ban on dueling.
9km TIL: Concrete is used more than any other man-made material in the world.
VMXOG TIL that the term "Walking Ghost" refers to the period of time shortly after an individual is exposed to toxic radiation when the victim appears perfectly healthy.
KOGBR TIL the spotted white porcelain anemone crab has highly unusual seafan-shaped claws which it uses to filter the water while sitting on top of an anemone by first collecting mucus from its host anemone's tentacles and then using that to attract and gather small sea creatures and plankton for food.
QJAVE TIL sewage sludge contains traces of gold, silver and platinum at levels that would be seen as commercially viable by traditional prospectors.