› added 4 years ago

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TIL ancient clay tablets were usually temporary, erased by water. Fires meant to destroy buildings and libraries fired the clay tablets, ironically preserving them.

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via reddit.com

9wNxD TIL Hisako Koyama, a female Japanese astronomer who hand drew sunspots every day for more than 40 years. Her detailed sketches aid researchers in studying solar cycles and the sun's magnetic fields
m1poo TIL that the actor Michael J Pollard wrote an inscription that was the inspiration for the classic Traffic song "Low Spark of High Heeled Boys".
VMOb0 TIL A Navy study showed that washing hands 5 times daily reduced incidence of respiratory infections by 45% over a two year period.
YYRx TIlL that according to a study by Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women Hospital, men who ejaculated more than 21 times a month were at a 22% lower risk of developing prostate cancer
wLJ1o TIL Joseph Lister, the father of antiseptic medicine, had the idea that surgeons could prevent infecting their patients by washing and disinfecting their hands with carbolic acid before surgery. This idea earned him ridicule—until people started noticing that it did indeed help.