› added 8 months ago

60

TIL about the ancient Mesopotamian practice of using a substitute king to protect the real king from evil omens. The real king would go into hiding, and rites were performed to transfer the danger onto the substitute. At the end of the ritual, the substitute is put to death.

Read more wikipedia.org

via reddit.com

ZplwY TIL that 17 million telegrams are still sent every year. By comparison, over 200 billion e-mails are sent every day. They are most commonly sent to meet certain legal requirements or to express congratulations or condolences.
mYkE TIL that polar bears are obsessive about keeping clean. Following mealtime, they will spend 15-20 minutes grooming themselves, making sure there is no dirt or residue left on them that may interfere with the insulating properties of their fur.
nW9Wb TIL that in 2011, the country of Norway ran out of butter. As a result, prices soared and butter was smuggled illegally into the country.
NXPO1 TIL that 80% of Australian homes are colder than is recommended by the WHO safety standards for indoor air temperature.
yQlra TIL Morocco was the first nation, in 1777, to officially recognize the United States of America by opening its ports to American ships. In 1786 the nation signed a treaty of 'peace and friendship', a document that marks one of the longest diplomatic relationships US history.