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TIL Singapore is the only country in the history of the modern world to gain independence against its own will.

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aZ9b TIL black people in ancient Rome were not discriminated against because of their skin colour or physical features. They were not excluded from any profession and there was no stigma against mixed race relationships. Classical writers did not attach social status or degree of humanity to skin colour.
1aZ44 TIL in the civil war, the commander of the Union "lightning brigade" personally took out a loan to buy his soldiers advanced new repeating rifles because the government would not supply them. Using the firepower advantage afforded by the new rifles, his brigade proved extremely effective in combat.
xVeDo TIL Cup Noodles were invented after Momofuku Ando, the inventor of instant ramen, watched as American supermarket executives broke up his ramen to fit into styrofoam coffee cups, added boiling water & then proceeded to eat the ramen with forks.
kOGgE TIL the modern wingsuit was invented by a French skydiver and base jumper, Patrick de Gayardon, who was also the 1st man to exit and return to the same aircraft in flight without a parachute
4kmbw TIL Megabats have a wingspan of up to 5 feet (1.5 meters)