› added 3 years ago

280

TIL that the American Alligator once neared extinction, by the 1950s, demands for hides and hunting in SE. USA had almost wiped out the species. In 1967 they were placed on federal protection. Today they are the least concern endangered classification. Florida today has 1.3 Million Alligators

Read more youtube.com

via reddit.com

OoBZL TIL according to the World Bank government corruption consumes up to 48% of Russia's GDP every year. In the 90s, businesses had to pay criminal groups to provide "krysha" (protection). Nowadays, this "protective" function is performed by government officials.
WL4N TIL that during medieval inquisitions , after you were accused, but before anything else happened , you were required to name anybody who hated you , if even one of the people who you named was actually your accuser, you were immediately set free , and you could name as many people as you wanted.
5Y7E8 TIL about Spring-Heeled Jack, a mysterious boogeyman that was said to ring residents of Londons’ doorbells dressed as a bear, a ghost or a devil and scratch them with metal claws before leaping away with unnatural agility. Sightings of him stretched from 1837 to 1904.
neJjr TIL that cancer feeds off sugar so much that sugar is used as a marker for PET scans to diagnose cancer, and that ironically, people are usually offered a sugary drink after said PET scan
YpQ1P TIL of the Massacre of St George's Fields 1768, where British troops fired on demonstrators who protested against the jailing of John Wilkes who severely criticised the King, killing 7 which led to multiple days of rioting and the threat of the abdication of the monarchy.