› added 1 year ago

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TIL: Iraq's GDP is $284 Billion

Read more data.worldbank.org

via reddit.com

VPD8 TIL that if humans could accelerate their arms at one tenth of the speed that a mantis shrimp does, we could throw a baseball into orbit.
E1OvV TIL Genetic variations may make some people's brain more open to thoughts, sensations and behaviors that don't make it past the average person's mental filters. These same variations may also explain why many highly creative people seem eccentric at times—or even suffer from mental illness
4jWN TIL that there is a Pirate Stock Exchange in Somalia, where any one can invest with money or weapons, and bet on the results of hijacking.
yQOnl TIL the word "moxie", synonymous with "energy" and "spunk" originates from a brand of soft drink. As with many sodas, it was first marketed as an over the counter medicine called "Moxie Nerve Food". Moxie was created in 1876, is flavored with gentian root extract and is still sold in the eastern US.
9w0Kr TIL the Japanese word "saboru". In the early 1900s, "sabotage" caught on in Japan to describe industrial actions. However, it was shortened and took on a different meaning: "cutting classes" or "skipping work". Now it’s so casually used that even some native speakers don’t realize it’s a loanword.