› added 1 year ago

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TIL about Mapinguari, a monstrous jungle-dwelling spirits from Brazilian folklore that protects the forest and animals. It's described as a former human shaman turned into a hairy humanoid cyclops and has a gaping mouth on its abdomen. Some claim it's a modern-day sighting of a giant ground sloth.

E1k0 TIL the infamous antigaming website, MAVAV (Mothers Against Videogame Addiction and Violence) was a hoax created to show how information can be propogated on the internet.
wLOjo TIL in 1981, Radio Shack delivered a TRS-80 computer to Isaac Asimov's apartment. Although initially reluctant to use it, a Radio Shack employee came to set it up and tutor Asimov. This would end Asimov's exclusive use of a typewriter and he would eventually appear in Radio Shack's advertising.
V4Pp TIL a woman used drain cleaner to BLIND herself, and she says that she is happier than ever after fulfilling lifelong wish of becoming blind
b6D9Q TIL that flat-faced dog breeds like pugs and bulldogs suffer from a condition called "brachycephalic syndrome", which causes significant respiratory issues due to their compressed skull structure. This trait is bred purely for appearance but can result in chronic breathing problems and even death.
VM7bp TIL I learned about the Delft Thunderclap, an explosion in Delft, Netherlands where a gunpowder store exploded, destroying much of the city and killed Rembrandt's most promising student, Carel Fabritius and destroyed almost all of his works.