› added 9 months ago

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TIL that Algeria, Syria, Iraq and Jordan have nationwide internet shutdowns to prevent cheating during school exams.

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via reddit.com

NX7lb TIL in the 18th century, rich people usually owned a large wig for formal occasions and a smaller one to wear at home. Wigs were a status symbol and were also the target of thieves due to how costly some of them were. Those who couldn't afford wigs tried to make their real hair look like one.
1NaW TIL a study titled “Where Are They Now?” in 1978 followed up on 515 people who were prevented from attempting suicide using the Golden Gate Bridge from 1937 to 1971. About 90% were either alive or had died of natural causes, concluding “suicidal behavior is crisis-oriented” rather than inexorable.
NXwJ6 TIL the photo of Salvador Dalí jumping and painting while water and live cats fly through the air took 5 hours and 26 tries because they couldn't get the timing right. The "floating" objects hung from wires or were held up off-camera. Dalí’s canvas frame was empty in the pic; he painted it in later.
1axpP TIL about "coffin birth", which is the birth of a fetus after the death of the mother. A well known example of this is the murder of Lacy Peterson, who was pregnant at the time of her murder. However, when found, mother and child were separate, the fetus having been "born" after Lacy's death.
1aa5V TIL the name Vanessa was invented by Anglo-Irish writer Jonathan Swift for Esther Vanhomrigh, whom he tutored. The name was created by taking "Van" from Vanhomrigh and "Essa" from a pet form of Esther.