› added 10 months ago

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TIL that the "dumb" in dumbbells originally meant "mute". A "dumb" bell was a contraption used to train church bell ringers in the fine art of bell ringing without annoying the entire neighborhood. Later, because of the similarities in shape, the name was applied to certain exercise equipment.

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XEQD6 TIL that the abbreviation RIP originally comes from the Latin phrase “Requiescat In Pace” and not “Rest in Peace”
m1x8y TIL Although very rare there have been people who have been swallowed whole by whales and lived
MWx0 TIL of laughing gas parties, where the British upper class would get high off of nitrous oxide
WkMKA TIL, that while they may look silly and harmless, platypuses can be dangerous — at least certain ones. The males come equipped with sharp stingers on the heels of their rear feet that can add some extra pain to a kick.
9YQOG TIL both "soccer" and "football" are just nicknames for the sport, and the actual name of the sport is "association football." Additionally, the term "soccer" was invented by the British as an abbreviation for "association."