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TIL, like the "dearly departed," ancient Egyptians referred to their dead as "Westeners." The west bank of the Nile was considered the land of the dead most likely because the sun sets in west with the living on the east. Osiris, the God of the dead, is called Lord of the West.

b67A0 TIL that one of the few positive health effects of smoking is a drastic reduction of a person's risk of thyroid cancer. According to a Korean study of the health records of over 10M people, smokers have a 36% lower risk of thyroid cancer. Smoking and heavy drinking reduces one's risk even more.
v1edr TIL In the Netherlands sex is seen as a human right, disabled citizens can get grants for legal prostitutes up to 12 times a year. Reports show this has significantly reduced depression and suicide rates among the disabled, many of whom have previously never had the chance to have sex before.
loNWB TIL In a study, people were required to pour sugar into a jar, then label it as “Poison”. Despite having poured the sugar themselves, people later refused to consume it. They knew their negative feelings were irrational, but they could not get themselves to shake their intuition away.
b9Dap TIL M&M's were created for the US Army so that soldiers could carry chocolate in tropical climates without it melting
xRRw TIL the 1992 Olympics US basketball team (the “Dream Team”) has been called “the most dominant squad ever assembled in any sport”. Magic Johnson said “I look to my right, there’s Michael Jordan … I look to my left, there’s Charles Barkley or Larry Bird … I didn’t know who to throw the ball to!”