› added 8 months ago

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TIL The US Virgin Islands were purchased from Denmark in 1917 for $25 million.

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WRpL TIL the pressurization of an airplane cabin alters the function of taste buds, causing a decrease of up to 30% in the ability to taste saltiness or sweetness. This is one of the reasons so many people dislike airline food.
vPbY7 TIL that Ziggy Marley sang the theme song to Arthur. I always knew that song was extra
b6n4p TIL : a man from colombia was diagnosed with tapeworm cancer
oBo0Y TIL there are various occurrences in Manhattan throughout the year where the sunrise and sunset perfectly line up with certain east-west running streets. The phenomenon is known as 'Manhattanhenge,' a name coined by Neil deGrasse Tyson.
BrLRy TIL: about Gain Of Function research, or the modification of dangerous viruses to become deadlier and more transmissible. Advocates argue it can help ready us to identify pandemics easier, critics say we're risking millions of lives. A moratorium on GoF research was ended in 2019.