› added 11 months ago

27

TIL Julia Chinn (c. 1790 – July 1833) was an American plantation manager and enslaved woman of “mixed-race” (an “octoroon” of seven-eighths European and one-eighth African ancestry), who was the common-law wife of the ninth vice president of the United States, Richard Mentor Johnson.

oBneA TIL of genetic sexual attraction,where people with similar genes tend to be mutually attracted. This is often cancelled by the Westermarck effect:children raised together rarely become mutually attracted when older. Thus,separated siblings who reunite as adults have a high risk of sexual attraction.
8ayD8 TIL that Dracula Parrots exist, also known as the Pesquets Parrot. Endemic to hill and montane rainforest in New Guinea. Despite their menacing appearance, they mainly live off fruit.
xVYAg Today I learned that Tom Petty did not usually allow his music to be played on television, but he let The Simpsons use his song "The Waiting" in the episode "The Cartridge Family" because he was a fan of the show.
7rwO7 TIL Execution by elephant was a common method of execution in South and Southeast Asia. Elephants were employed by royalty to crush, dismember, or torture captives until the regions were colonized in the 18th and 19th centuries.
kGe1 TIL Lawrence of Rome was sentenced to die by being roasted alive. After a while of being seared over burning coals, he told the executioners “turn me over, I’m well done on this side.” Today he is the patron saint of cooks and chefs in the Catholic Church.