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TIL About Greek Fire. An incendiary weapon developed by the Byzantines in the 7th century, it was deployed on ships, and in handheld tubes, operating similar to a flamethrower. Water didn’t extinguish it. Its precise chemical composition is still unknown.

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ANgx7 TIL the broken bottle scam originated in the Qing Dynasty and was originally used with fake porcelain
v1RbB TIL that Apelles, an ancient Greek painter, was considered by many, including Pliny, to be the greatest artist in the world. Pliny recorded that Alexander the Great so admired Apelles's work that he gave his concubine to him. Today, none of Apelles's original works have survived.
ElQ7 TIL - Vermont abolished slavery in 1777, while it was still independent, and when it joined the United States as the 14th state in 1791 it was the first state to join untainted by slavery.
kOOlg TIL Elvis Presley and his entourage would rent out roller skating rinks to throw $15,000 worth of fireworks at each other while wearing "air force jump-suits plus gloves, helmets, and goggles."
Egnlo TIL Roadrunners can fly, they just prefer not to.