› added 7 years ago

70

TIL that 'Moron', 'Idiot', and 'Imbecile' were once valid Psychology terms for people with low IQ. When these terms entered vernacular usage as insults, they were disused in favor of 'Mental Retardation' which in turn was disused in favor of 'Intellectual Disability'.

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8AJL TIL that many incredients in lip balms – phenol, camphor, eucalyptus, menthol, peppermint and spearmint – are skin irritants or drying agents, which provide short term relief but end up making your lips worse in the long run, thus encouraging you to use more lip balm.
rNJMx TIL the dumb and dumber mocking bird song is a real song.
8eK4V TIL The Great Wall of China was built using "sticky rice mortar," a mix of sticky rice soup and slaked lime. This mortar has a high adhesive strength, sturdiness, and waterproofing capability and prevents weeds from growing. It is also strong enough to resist earthquakes and modern bulldozers.
7rdVp TIL during WWI, the British Army had a group of entertainers assigned to every division. They offered soldiers a respite from war, reminded them of home, and provided a neutral outlet to air grievances. "The Diamond Troupe" was most famous because of their female impersonator and trick cyclist.
YpQZW TIL For the past 45 million years tarsiers have inhabited rainforests around the world, but now they only exist on a few islands in the Philippines, Borneo and Indonesia. In Bohol, the Philippine Tarsier was a common sight in the southern part of the island until the 1960's