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TIL a beaver "named ‘Geronimo,' was dropped again and again" by parachute to test a radical beaver relocation plan. Geronimo's success led to the relocation of 76 beavers via parachute. Geronimo had priority reservation on the first ship into the hinterland, and three young females went with him.

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kOX84 TIL that the first regiments, i.e. military units named as such with a relatively modern organization, started to be formed in the 16th century by private contractors with kings and other state entities. We still have examples of the contracts that were signed for this purpose.
1aYPd TIL that Placenta is a flat cake from ancient Greece and Rome consisting of many dough layers interspersed with a mixture of cheese and honey. It is flavoured with bay leaves, baked and then covered in honey. The temporary fœtal organ was named after this cake thanks to its flat round shape.
pxp4 TIL that modern flat glass is created by floating molten glass over molten tin. This is what gives glass its uniform, smooth surface.
Rpww TIL the pre-Meiji Japanese government differentiated believers and non-believers of Catholicism by making them step on pictures of the Virgin Mary and Christ. Those found guilty were often executed by being thrown into a volcano
R7nX8 TIL There has been an officially-appointed (by Prime Minister) Wizard of New Zealand since 1990.