› added 2 months ago

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TIL platypuses only recently (geologically speaking) lost their teeth, with this change coinciding with the arrival of the rakali (water rat). These rodents outcompeted platypuses for hard-bodied prey, forcing platypuses to evolve dental pads and specialize in soft-bodied food instead.

oRvB7 TIL Hollywood needed the support of the mob to make the film The Godfather. The Italian League insisted that if any mention of mafia or la cosa nostra was stricken from the script and proceeds donated from the movie’s premiere to the Italian League, they wouldn’t obstruct the filming.
696YX TIL the term Tennis bracelet originated from an incident during the 1987 US Open, when Chris Everett’s diamond bracelet flew off during a serve and they stopped play to search for it.
wojlP TIL a woman filed a lawsuit on an insurance firm after claiming she contracted an STI as a result of having sex in her boyfriend's car (which is insured by the firm). She won and was awarded $5,200,000
X0Am8 TIL in 1925, a forger convinced Portugal's money printer to make him 200,000 bills, worth ~1% of Portugal's GDP. They were easily laundered, since they weren't actually counterfeit. To cover his tracks, he started buying a controlling interest in the Bank of Portugal, but was caught. He was 28.
Y9bZ TIL underwater Octopus Wrestling was a popular sport in the 1960s with the annual World Championships held in Puget Sound, Washington. The event was televised and attracted 5000 spectators. The caught octopuses (which can grow up to 90 pounds) were either eaten, donated, or released back to the wild