› added 11 years ago

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TIL that the word ‘plastic’ in 'plastic surgery’ is in no way a reference to the petroleum based engineered material, but actually denotes 'sculpting or reshaping’, from the Greek derived word 'πλαστική’ (plastikē), “the art of modelling” of malleable flesh.

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b9Zlj TIL There was a decade long “war” in Harlan County, Kentucky, to unionize the coal mines. It resulted in many deaths, Several bombings, and three seperates instances of intervention from the National Guard.
BogW TIL during WWII Canada gave out buttons to people who tried to enlist but were refused due to medical conditions to show their willingness to fight with the military forces of Canada
EW6o TIL That in 2004, police discovered a secret underground cinema with professionally installed electricity, phone lines, full bar, classic movies and recent thrillers, and more in the catacombs under paris. Upon returning 3 days later, a note was found that read “Do not try to find us”
8ZnP TIL the reason dogs bark at the mailman is because dogs learn quickly that their barking often makes the intruder go away. This is the case when your dog barks at the mailman. He thinks he is doing his job of protecting his home because when he barks the intruder leaves immediately, every time.
neaPG TIL from the 16th to 19th centuries the Ottoman Empire enslaved over 1 million Europeans from ship and coastal raids of Italy, Spain, Portugal, Ireland, France, England, and the Netherlands. Some slaves were even captured by European pirates who then sold them to the Ottomans.