› added 11 months ago

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TIL The word "quarantine" comes from a 14th-century practice in the Venetian Republic, where ships had to isolate for 40 days to prevent the spread of the plague, leading to the term "quarantine" from the Italian "quaranta giorni" (40 days).

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via reddit.com

4XyPJ TIL that some birds spread fire by carrying lit sticks in order to find food
78Bg7 TIL Black Soldiers in the Continental Army and states’ militia fought in every major battle of the American Revolutionary War, and in most, if not all of the lesser actions.
N7amE TIL of the band Grouplove who was the first band in the United States to be certified climate friendly
ADJkl TIL about Cargo Cults, Melanesian groups that attempted to recreate the magic that was "cargo drops". When the U.S military occupied Pacific islands during WW2, the islanders witnessed the soldiers receive goods from the sky, and thought it was the result of magic rituals performed by the soldiers.
KOrkw In 1965, a Japanese company called Yamasa Clock created a personal-fitness pedometer called the Manpo-kei, which means “10,000 steps meter.” The Japanese character for 10,000 looks almost like a person walking or running, which is likely how the gadget-maker landed on the name—and the number. It’s also an easy goal to remember, especially when accompanied by a sketch of a person who’s literally walking. But that benchmark wasn’t based on any scientific evidence. There's no magic number of steps that can ensure your heart health.