› added 1 year ago

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TIL that genghis khan although a brutal dictator paved the way for the modern postal system, and also granted freedom of religion

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Vldm TIL There was so much fighting on the Normandy beaches on D-Day, that it is estimated about 4% of the sand is actually shrapnel
WkbkN TIL: The book titled 20 Slices doesn't use paper for its pages. It's made of cheese. It has become trendy among college librarians to acquire it for their academic collections. Some copies get stored not on regular bookshelves but instead in the staff fridge.
l7Zpr TIL metal or blood by itself doesn't have a smell. The "metallic" smell of blood is instead derived from Fe2+ (iron) ions in metal/blood which react with fatty acids in sweat, forming 1-octen-3-one, which gives the characteristic "metallic" smell of metals and blood.
E1x9p TIL Edward Norton is a prolific philanthropist, being president of the American Branch of the Maasai Wilderness Conservation Trust, a UN Goodwill Ambassador, member of Enterprise Community Partners, founding CrowdRise to raise funds for charity, and chairman of the board to Signature Theatre.
LkppP TIL George Washington had a fear of being buried alive (taphophobia). He requested, if he died, his body be laid out for three days before burial to make sure he was dead before burial.