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TIL of the Bengal Water Machine, a water capture mechanism resulting from the pumping of shallow subsurface water by millions of individual small landholders.

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8egxG TIL: Sam McDaniel (brother of Hattie McDaniel) was the first and only African African actor to ever appear on the classic television series "I Love Lucy."
GYBpE TIL researchers discovered that applying a sonogram to a person's skull and stimulating specific brain regions can alter their mood. One researcher described applying it to his own head and later feeling like he had a martini. They hope to develop a sonogram-based device to treat mood disorders.
kOnYg TIL Napoleon's title le petit caporal does not actually refer to his height, but is instead an endearing term that reflects on his camaraderie with ordinary soldiers.
wLnVY TIL: Balkan sworn virgins, women who would take a vow of celibacy in order to be able to live as a man in certain Balkan nations. They could wear male clothing, inherit property, and become the head of a household. Women would take the oath to escape arranged marriages and having to bear children.
5Yk59 TIL Stone crabs aren't killed for their meat. You simply remove one claw and throw them back in. They will eventually regrow their claw making them a renewable resource.