› added 9 years ago

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TIL That the Ichneumonidae, a species of wasp that laid it’s young in a live host, made Charles Darwin lose faith in a “benevolent God”

W7YA8 TIL After the assassinations of his brothers President John F Kennedy and Senator Robert Kennedy; Senator Ted Kennedy lived the rest of his life in fear of being assassinated as well and would jump at loud noises and dive for cover at the sound of a car backfiring.
1aoYd TIL Research shows distinct changes in the brains of London taxi drivers throughout the process of acquiring 'The Knowledge' (memorising the 320 routes within 6 miles of Charring Cross). An increase in grey matter and better memory "proved the brain could adapt to new tasks, even in adulthood."
loGj7 TIL Peter Sellers' estranged wife inherited his fortune upon his death, his children got only 800 Pounds each. She refused to increase the amount even after a mutual acquaintance intervened. Incidentally, Sellers' son died 26 years to the day after his father, from the same cause (heart attack).
grVo9 TIL about the Rainbow Baby. A rainbow baby is a baby that is born after the mother has a pregnancy loss. The name draws on the symbol of the rainbow, representing beauty after a dark time. August 22 is also known as rainbow baby day.
Yp8Gd TIL witches were never depicted with green skin before the 1939 Wizard of Oz film. Witches were commonly depicted as red or orange beforehand. The Wicked Witch of the West was not described as green in the book, and she was only made green in the film because it looked really good in technicolor.