› added 4 years ago

53

TIL that the so-called "Spanish flu" was only known as such because WWI wartime censors made sure to keep reporting of illness in their own countries minimal so as to not appear weak. However, the news was free to report on Spain, which was neutral.

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XElbQ TIL In May 1953, scientists in the British Ministry of Defence tested the nerve-gas sarin on the 20-year-old Ronald Maddison, who had unwittingly volunteered for the experiment thinking it would involve some very minor tests.
e0lPE TIL Wes Borland of Limp Bizkit runs a cat rescue in Detroit.
GYE7 TIL there are Chinese government records that show that a man by the name of Li Ching-Yuen, lived for 256 years between the years of 1677 and 1933, buried 23 wives, and had 180 living descendants.
E19Px TIL George Harrison was still only 26 years old when the Beatles broke up.
mx0wy TIL sexually-transmitted infections, STIs, may have driven ancient humans to monogamy from polygamy