› added 12 years ago

96

TIL: There was no Roman “thumbs down” for gladiator fights and thumbs up meant death

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mm6v TIL that using the word “literally” as “an intensifier for statements that are not literally true” is actually considered correct. The usage dates back to the 18th century, and can be found in writing by the likes of Jane Austen, Charles Dickens, and Mark Twain.
780Ax TIL my uncle was my dad
kJ1og TIL Blue whale poop is bright neon orange, from the shells of the krill the whales eat.
rRr0y TIL that nightshade is actually genus, not a species and tomatoes and eggplant are species within that genus.
xVAW1 TIL Queen Alexandra's Birdwing, native to Papua New Guinea and named in honor of Alexandra of Denmark, is the largest butterfly in the world. Females have wingspans reaching 25cm/9.8in and males are smaller. The first specimen was taken with a small shotgun. It is currently listed as endangered.