› added 11 years ago

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TIL: incubating premature babies got it’s start as a side show exhibit in Coney Island

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via reddit.com

byoj TIL that in 1965 Pakistani pilot M.M. Alam shot down five jet fighters in less than a minute – the first four within 30 seconds, establishing a world record.
N7QMN TIL that over half of Japanese hot springs (onsen) ban people with tattoos from using their facilities in order to keep out members of the Yakuza, who often have large, prominent tattoos.
mxW7o TIL about Puzzle Jugs: common in 18th and 19th century taverns/pubs, these ceramic jugs required the drinker to solve a “puzzle” of hidden finger holes and tubes, to drink without spilling the contents of the jug all over themselves
5wVk TIL than in 1881 a woman got away with murdering a man who broke off their engagement by using the “hysteria defense,” i.e., a doctor told the jury that “Any virtuous woman when deprived of her virtue would go mad, undoubtedly.” The jury acquitted her in 20 minutes.
W7MDL TIL that Stromatolites can still be found off the coast of Western Australia. They are microbial reefs created by cyanobacteria as they photosynthesise and release oxygen into the ocean. Stromatolites first appeared on Earth around 3.5bn years ago.