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TIL the RMS Lusitania carried undeclared war munitions as cargo. It was also originally designed to be converted to a warship by the British government

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nWVK7 TIL that The Beatles recorded German-language versions of their songs "I Want to Hold Your Hand" and "She Loves You" in 1964 made specifically for the German market.
x6av0 TIL that the chocolate makers J.S. Fry & Sons had a famous advert featuring a crying boy who becomes happy after having chocolate. The boy was actually forced to cry after having an ammonia soaked cloth wrapped around his neck by his dad, who then took a photograph of this used in the advert.
Wk66o TIL the notion that NASA astronauts carry suicide pills for use in case they are marooned in outer space is untrue. Exposure to outer space results in a much faster and smoother demise compared to a suicide pill.
v1mAL TIL about Missouri Compromise. It determined that in states located south of the 36°30' parallel, slavery was allowed. Every time the United States expanded west, two states would be created, one pro-slavery in the south and other anti-slavery in the north to keep the balance of power.
jonp TIL that women have historically been barred from cooking sushi due to a superstition that their hands are too warm.