› added 9 years ago

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TIL during China’s Ming Dynasty, powdered smallpox scabs were blown up the noses of the healthy. The patients would then develop a mild case of the disease, & from then on were immune to it. Although the technique had a 0.5–2.0% mortality rate, it was better than the diseases 20–30% mortality rate.

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VM6J0 TIL That Halo was supposed to be an exclusive for the Mac. (Even being revealed by Steve Jobs himself.) the game was also meant to be a third person shooter. But before that was finalized, Microsoft bought bungie rest is history.
K9vJ TIL that Dick Dale’s version of Misirlou, aka Miserlou, (The Pulp Fiction Intro Song) came about when, during a performance, a young fan dared Dick to play it only using one string on his guitar. He subsequently sped it up and created the version we know today.
GV9g TIL After Stephen Colbert called Windsor (Ontario) ‘the Earth’s rectum’ the CBC made a poll on their website asking if the description was good for the city and 85% said Yes.
p8XB4 TIL in ancient Korea, rice was used as currency and to pay taxes. A rice payment law was even put in place during the 1600s which mandated collecting rice for state taxes. Consumption of rice was mostly limited to those from a higher socioeconomic status during this time.
b9Jx0 TIL the 16th century Girolamini library had been systematically looted by the library's director. Thousands of rare and historically invaluable books were stolen including works of Galileo and Kepler, many are still missing. The director was sentenced to 7 years house arrest.