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TIL at the 1952 Olympics Emil Zátopek won three gold medals - in the 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres runs, and at the last minute he decided to compete in the first marathon of his life - which he also won, making him the only runner ever to have won all these events in the same Olympics.

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oBZaY TIL of Marjorie McCall who "lived once and was buried twice". When she died the first time of illness, grave robbers tried to steal her ring by cutting off her finger, waking her from her coma. She left her grave to live on until she died (again) some years later
VMxR4 TIL King of Prussia Frederick II to lure his subjects to grow and eat potato who at first refused to do so, ordered his soldiers to guard the fields but not too strictly and allow stealing. The peasants assuming the fruits must be very precious to be guarded, started growing and eating them.
bkk0 TIL that there is a company called TerraCycle that recycles everything that’s considered non-recyclable, including cigarette butts, dirty diapers, and chewing gum!
4X505 TIL It was as recent as December 2020 that the last widow of a US Civil War soldier (fought 1861-1865) passed away.
Egkrd TIL brunette Vikings—usually men—would use a strong soap with a high lye content to bleach their hair. In some regions, beards were lightened as well.