› added 5 years ago

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TIL, Nadezhda Durova (1783-1866), daughter of a Russian Army Officer, disguised herself as a man, serving in a Cavalry Regiment during the Napoleonic Wars. She was the first recorded Female Officer in the Russian army, and was awarded the Cross of St George for bravery under fire.

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loELa TIL that researchers found fossils of a "Mega Penguin" that stood over 6ft tall and weighed in at over 250lbs.
wpNM TIL Ewen MacDonald was hanged in 1752 but regained consciousness after being taken to the dissection theatre. When the surgeon who was meant to dissect his body discovered the supposedly dead man sitting upright on the operating table, he promptly bludgeoned MacDonald to death with a mallet.
EgOod TIL that wehn Ed Sheeran appeared on BBC's Top Gear in 2015 at the age of 24, he had never driven a car before. He was given driving lessons before taking a full lap on the Top Gear Test Track.
6EakQ TIL Basketballs had to be retrieved (with a dowel) after scoring a point for 15+ years, until they finally started using nets they could fall through
BdDe TIL that not only can monkeys be trained to use money, they will use it rationally — and buy sex for it, too.