› added 2 months ago

15

TIL that in ancient Rome, urine was so valuable for cleaning and tanning leather that emperors placed a tax on it.

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4ymX TIL food stamps were born as conservative, pro-business policy meant to provide American-style choice in commodities for recipients and to promote mainstream American economics by allowing recipients to choose their own foodstuffs as opposed to receiving literal handouts of food from backs of trucks
4Nxw TIL a Thai princess drowned to death as servants watched, because they were ordered to never touch the royals
XEvW8 TIL That when flying in formation flight, induced drag is significantly reduces by 81% with up to 25 wings in a V-shaped formation. This is often seen in migratory birds which help them fly longer by saving energy.
D1D7D TIL that the first documented use of toilet paper is from the 6th century iN China. By early 14th century, they were manufacturing toilet paper at the rate of 10 million packages (ranging from 1,000 to 10,000 sheets) annually. It wasn't until 1857, toilet paper was commercially available in the US.
ADMnw TIL Scientists have claimed that The Biblical plagues that devastated Ancient Egypt in the Old Testament could all be explained. Toxic algae stained the Nile blood red, which forced frogs to leave the water, leading to insects and a volcanic eruption trigged more plagues