› added 5 years ago

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TIL that the Republic of Ireland only refers to the football team, not the country. FIFA named them it because both Northern Ireland and the Republic claimed to be the official Ireland and both tried to qualify for the World Cup as Ireland fielding 4 of the same players.

rbmo TIL that Beethoven’s 3rd Symphony was originally named ‘Bonaparte’ and dedicated to him. But when he learned that Napoleon crowned himself Emperor, he was so angered that he scratched the name off the title page with such vehemence it tore a hole.
a8xAb TIL The researchers found a 9-13% lower risk of death among people who drank at least 2 cups of tea per day than among non-tea drinkers.
rRAB4 TIL bumblebees are capable of flying at altitudes much higher than Mount Everest. Two bumblebees were placed inside a plexiglass chamber and were able to reach a simulated altitude of 29,525 ft with air pressure being reduced. The chamber kept breaking before the bumblebees stopped flying.
69o0J TIL that John "Count Dante" Keehan was a martial artist and hairdresser from Chicago, Illinois. He was well-known throughout the 1960s and 70s for dojo storming rival gyms, and claimed to possess the Dim-Mak "death touch".
wLnr6 TIL that Isaac Asimov died from complications of HIV. In 1983 got HIV from a blood transfusion during heart surgery. His doctors told him to keep it quiet. 10 Ten years later, after most of Asimov's physicians had died, Asimov's family agreed that the HIV story should be made public.