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TIL that in the 1600s, some monks in Germany only drank beer and water during their 40-day fast for lent. They concocted an “unusually strong” brew, full of carbohydrates and nutrients. In 2011, a journalist attempted to re-create their fast. He lost 25 pounds during the ordeal.

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xAE0 TIL In Ireland, any jokes regarding the potato famine of the 19th Century, should be avoided. Joking about this topic could in many instances cause a similar amount of offense (for example) as joking about the September 11, 2001 attacks would in the United States.
5YGEP TIL that while the Tokyo Disneyland was a success, as Disney aligned to Japanese values of "cuteness", politeness, and gift giving, Disneyland Paris was initially a failure as the retelling of European folk-tales was seen as elitist and insulting, and it's stores were only selling "cheap trinkets"
nvb9 TIL That there is a suspended monorail in Germany that was build in 1897 and still moves 25 million passengers annually.
LkLOv TIL Astronaut Tom Jones carried a copy of Arthur C. Clarke's "2001: A Space Odyssey" into space during a shuttle mission in 2001. The astronauts read the book in their spare time and discussed which of 2001’s technologies had arrived
9Y1xG TIL The US corn industry has mostly grown through increasing government support during the last century. In the process corn became so abundant and cheap that it enabled the existence of CAFOS, ethanol and HFCS production which in turn have profoundly affected the environment and human health.