› added 6 months ago

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TIL that in middle ages suicidal people feared eternal damnation that direct suicide entailed, so they would commit a capital crime over innocent child and then turn themselves in to authorities and demand capital punishment

Read more daily.jstor.org

via reddit.com

VBA4p TIL that the seven-day week originated with the ancient Sumerians and Babylonians 4,000 years ago. The names of the days of the week can be traced back to the seven “planets” recognized by these cultures: The sun, the moon, Mars, Mercury, Jupiter, Venus, and Saturn.
e0Gp4 TIL despite being in DC, the seal of Georgetown University says "Georgetown College on the Banks of the Potomac in Maryland" as the university was founded in 1789, 12 years before it became part of DC.
VMndD TIL about "False uniqueness bias," which refers to people underestimating the number of others who share their positive traits ("unlike most people, I exercise") and overestimating the number of people who share their negative traits ("everybody smokes").
OGG4X TIL there is no actual factual backing for the rumor that Walt Disney was cryogenically frozen. In fact, it is extremely unlikely and records state he was cremated
R7PKQ TIL Lambskin condoms are actually made from Lamb Intestine, are one of the oldest form of condom, and do not protect against many STIs including HIV.