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TIL that Parmentier, to encourage the consumption of potatoes which people were wary of, decided to have the field where he grew them guarded by armed men during the day but not at night. Guarding the field increased the value of the crop; at night it was easy to steal tubers, and consumption spread

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9w09M TIL the body has about 0.2 milligrams of gold (worth about $0.012 as of writing this). This small amount of gold is naturally present in the body and plays a role in maintaining joint health and facilitating electrical signal transmission. The total volume of gold purified is 10 nanoliters.
KYE7G TIL At age 90, Hugh Hefner's weight dropped to 90lbs and he made visitors sign a confidentiality agreement to see him. He was so sick that he missed his own Playboy Mansion parties and always needed a group of nurses everywhere
XExyE TIL at US Supreme Court, the most junior associate justice is charged with menial tasks, such as answering the door of conference room, serving beverages and transmitting orders of the court to the clerk.
QNjWM TIL of the Age of the Sturlungs, a civil war in the Icelandic Commonwealth where chieftains fought each other and culminating in the signing of the Old Covenant leading to Norwegian kingship.
nWj4b TIL Negative effects of alcohol consumption by pregnant women on the child has been noted since Roman times. Also, alcohol was used to prevent preterm labour into the 1980s, sometimes being applied intravenously.