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TIL In 2005 China’s deputy health minister acknowledged that the majority of organ transplants are sourced from executions (as much as 95%).

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d8lM7 TIL In northern Thailand, a conservationist named Richard Lair put together the Thai Elephant Orchestra, in which 16 elephants play specially developed instruments like steel drums and even harmonicas.
ep0jk TIL Sex Pistols were supposed to play Saturday Night Live when they came to America but Sid Vicious's visa problems delayed them too much. Malcolm McLaren recommended Elvis Costello to sub in and on the show Elvis's drummer wears a shirt saying "Thanks Malc"
yQpnp TIL that in 1905, 19 people died playing football. Ten of those killed were aged 17 or younger. People, including President Teddy Roosevelt, called for rules changes. They sought to remove slapping, nosepulling, and biting, but critics thought it would make the players soft.
Wk494 TIL the Great Sphinx of Giza is so old, that when the first archeologic expedition came to restore it, it had to actually excavate it first, as it was covered up to its ears in sand and dust. Oh and no - that expedition didn’t take place in the 19th century. It took place 3400 years ago.
p8P0Z TIL - All steel produced after WW2 is contaminated with radionuclides from atomic bombs. "Low-backround steel" is steel made before or during WW2, and is needed for precise measuring and censor equipment, such as equipment for measuring radionuclides in steel.