› added 2 months ago

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TIL an enslaved boy discovered Vanilla Pollination

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GA9lg TIL the term “sarcophagus” literally means “flesh-eater” because the limestone used for them was believed to accelerate decomposition.
QN7WL TIL that the 428 Cobra Jet, one of Ford's most legendary high performance engines, was created by accident. It all started with a careless mechanic, a blown engine, and a resourceful shop owner. The resulting mishmash of components created such a beast that Ford itself decided to build it.
R7909 TIL Lawn darts are also banned in the USA in 1988 as they sent 6,000 people (81% were 15 or younger) to the ER in eight years. In Canada, lawn darts resulted in at least 55 serious injuries, so they were banned for sale in July 1989. The sale of second-hand lawn darts is also illegal.
e0e0E TIL that the Pink Floyd pistol shrimp can make a sound thats 210 decibels by snapping the claw shut. Thats louder than a rocket launch. It uses the sound to kill small fish.
e0grE TIL raw milk is responsible for nearly three times more hospitalizations than any other food-borne disease source, making it one of the world's most dangerous food products