› added 7 years ago

181

TIL that in the 1400s, China owned the greatest seagoing fleet in the world. But by 1525, all of China’s “Treasure Fleet” ships had been destroyed at the urging of the political elite who had become alarmed at the rise of a newly rich merchant class.

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nVoP TIL that when Napoleon emancipated the Jews he stated that “I will never accept any proposals that will obligate the Jewish people to leave France, because to me the Jews are the same as any other citizen in our country”
neaQ7 TIL of the Haber–Bosch process developed in the 20th century - the process produces 450 million tonnes of nitrogen fertilizer per year now & has allowed to global population to grow from 1.6 billion in 1900 to 7 billion today
QJMkE TIL In 1977 the Chicago Sun-Times bought a bar and ran it with undercover reporters to investigate widespread corruption.
JgM4 TIL that Thai people have a fashion subculture called “Hitler Chic”
GYpAj TIL there's a 15,000 mile long hiking trail in Canada that goes from coast to coast.