› added 4 years ago

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TIL that the majority of all pandemics have originated through the cross-species transmission from animals to humans.

Read more ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

via reddit.com

b9Oma TIL: During his sons kidnapping, Frank Sinatra Sr spoke with the kidnappers via payphone often. Worried that he wouldn't have enough change for the call he started to carry 10 dimes wherever he went. He continued to do this for the rest of his life, and was even buried with 10 dimes in his pocket.
kY7B TIL: That one UK citizen a week changes their middle name to “danger” via Deed Poll.
1xKr TIL that Russian and NATO troops were very close to using force against each other in Kosovo, 1999. A NATO commander disobeyed the orders he was given, reportedly saying “I’m not going to start the Third World War for you” to his superior, who was later fired.
WkneA TIL that until the 19th century the dominant sleep pattern in western societies was biphasic. After 3-4 hours of sleep, people would be awake for about an hour doing whatever before they sleep again until dawn.
KOMl9 TIL one of Martin Luther King Jr's favorite hymns was Mahalia Jackson's rendition of 'How I got over." She sang it at the March on Washington in 1963 and in moments when he felt discouraged, he'd call her just to hear her sing.