› added 4 years ago

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TIL Ice from the UK's biggest coffee chains (Costa Coffee, Starbucks and Caffe Nero) was found to contain bacteria from faeces. The levels found were 'concerning' and should not be present in any amount.

Read more bbc.co.uk

via reddit.com

QJYPk TIL A roman consul was told before a crucial battle with Carthage that the auguries suggested he shouldn't go to battle, since the chicken didn't eat that day. Wishing to do it any way, he proclaimed "lets see if they will drink", and had the sacred chickens drowned. He fought and lost the battle
X0wmk TIL that the Nanga Parbat is the only mountain taller than 8000 meters, whose maiden summit was done solo. The climber, Hermann Buhl, did so by taking methamphetamine and reaching the summit after a 19 hour long climb from his camp.
koY7 TIL Warner Bros donates royalties made from their Tasmanian Devil character to help fight a facial tumour that is decimating the native species
165Xr TIL of Hallucigenia, a spined and clawed yet worm-like creature so named for its “bizarre, dream-like quality.” Its extant relatives are similarly unique and include nigh-indestructible tardigrades and slime-slinging velvet worms.
R78e1 TIL that for Japanese traffic lights blue means go! A very blue shade of green is used, green enough to satisfy international regulations. This is because historically the Japanese language only had words for black, white, red, and blue, and that green is considered a shade of blue.