› added 3 years ago

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TIL that Zhang Shangwu, a two-time gold medal gymnast at the Universiade, turned to stealing and begging in the streets after his competitive career ended with an injury.

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1POP TIL that extinction was only accepted as a fact in late 18th century after Georges Cuvier, the father of paleontology, disproved the old theory that it was impossible for species to go extinct because God wouldn’t wipe out a species he spent time creating for his Divine Plan.
RjE1 TIL Fresh snow absorbs sound, lowering ambient noise over a landscape because the trapped air between snowflakes attenuates vibration. That´s why it gets so quite when it snows.
X0OmP TIL that the British once tried to destroy an entire island after WW2 because they didn't want it to be used as a fleet base for the Germans. This was done in "Operation Big Bang" where they detonated 6700 tonnes of explosives, which is considered one of the largest single explosive detonation.
xNXw TIL Snake Oil was a real product sold by the Clark Stanley company, and in 1917 the U.S. Govt. had a bottle of it tested, but discovered that it contained inert ingredients and no actual oils extracted from snakes. The government sued and won damages of $20.
dDXG9 TIL: In Season 7 of "Married With Children", Peggy's cousin "Seven" was introduced. His parents (played by Bobcat Goldtwait and Linda "Exorcist" Blair) come to visit the Bundys and abandon him while getting cigarettes. He lasted 12 episodes before vanishing, last being seen on a milk carton.