› added 3 years ago

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TIL that after L. Ron Hubbard's death in 1986, the Church of Scientology officially claimed that he voluntarily abandoned his physical body after it became an impediment to his work, and that he had left Earth to do scientific research on another planet—having "learned how to do it without a body".

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BVBy TIL of a species of snake in south east Asia commonly known as the “Flying Snake.” Not only can it climb trees, but it can then glide through the air from one tree to the next, slithering its body to create lift, achieving distances of 100m - more than any other gliding animal.
pgQ4 TIL The hit song “One Night in Bangkok” from the musical “Chess” is banned in Thailand because its lyrics “cause misunderstanding about Thai society and show disrespect towards Buddhism”. While choruses praise Bangkok and its atmosphere, spoken verses ridicule its attractions.
v10QD TIL Liverpool was a major slaving port and its ships and merchants dominated the transatlantic slave trade in the second half of the 18th century. The town and its inhabitants derived great civic and personal wealth from the trade which laid the foundations for the port's future growth.
QNJ0p TIL Voltaire met a married mother of 3, Émilie du Châtelet, 12 years his junior with whom he had an affair with for 16 years. Later, on a visit to Paris, Voltaire took a new lover - his niece, Marie Louise Mignot.
xVlMb TIL after Montreal Canadiens fans booed the US national anthem during the 2004 Hockey Playoffs, Boston Bruins fans responded by giving the Canadian National Anthem a standing ovation.