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TIL that the use of mistletoe as a Christmas decoration derives from a Norse myth. Norse god, Balder's only weakness was the mistletoe plant. On learning this Loki, the god of mischief carved arrows from the branches of plant which were used to kill Odin's son.

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5YKZ9 TIL the Bopal Chemical Disaster in India, where a methyl-isocyanate leak (500 times deadlier than hydrogen cyanide) from a factory killed more than 8000 residents in one night. The MIC leak went undetected due to the factory's earlier removal of the alarm siren in order to not disturb its neighbours
BrOBr TIL of the Strauss–Howe generational theory. According to this theory, every 80 years is a crucial “fourth turning” of generations in American history. The “fourth turning” is necessarily marked by a crisis that has destroyed the social order and created a new one, after which a new cycle commences.
oBE7r TIL the role of Jake Ryan in Sixteen Candles was nearly played by Viggo Mortensen. Molly Ringwald recalled flying to New York to perform the final Jake/cake scene with potential male leads. “Michael Shoeffling did not kiss me during the audition, Viggo Mortensen did...He made me weak in the knees."
VMOYk Today I learned that all of Jimmy Carter’s siblings died because of pancreatic cancer, including their father.
XXZ6 TIL that police broke up a Lego heist ring last year for stealing $40,000 worth of bricks and found that one of the suspects was also in possession of another $160,000 of bricks—18 pallets worth.