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TIL that in 13th century China, Zhao Rukuo wrote a book named Zhu Fan Zhi, which provided details of different cultures the Chinese traded with, from nearby Asian lands up to Sicily

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d8Pdd TIL that in 1820, an 80-ton sperm whale attacked and sank the Essex (a whaling ship from Nantucket, Massachusetts). The tragedy attracted international attention, and inspired Herman Melville to write his famous 1851 novel Moby-Dick.
yypM TIL that the German word for “jack of all trades” (Eierlegende-wollmilchsau) literally means egg-laying-wool-milk-pig thereby describing the perfect animal that provides wool, milk and, finally, bacon.
KOrxE TIL from 1996-2000, a group of students at MIT made and wrote multiple papers about a robotic flamingo. Dubbed the "Spring Flamingo", it was made to teach them complex robotics and show how feet and actuated ankles helped bipedal walking
wGXY TIL young, single, childless women earn, on average, 8% more than their male counterparts in 147 of 150 major cities in the U.S.
M71lV TIL that Australian director George Miller worked as an emergency physician while making short films. The prevalence of vehicle accidents and Australia’s enthusiasm for automobiles inspired him to write and film “Mad Max”.