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TIL: Mysterious metal mini-awnings set knee-high on some London exteriors are urine deflectors. “A man may sometimes walk a mile before he can meet with a suitable" outdoor pee site, fussed an 1809 London writer who condemned the inventions that "conduct the stream into the shoes of the luckless."

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W7G9N TIL In South Korea the island of Yeouido, which contains Seoul’s main finance and media districts, is often used by South Korean media as a means of comparison for measuring an unfamiliar area.
YPXG TIL that Typhoon Longwang was was the deadliest tropical cyclone to impact China during the 2005 Pacific typhoon season, also its name makes me laugh.
16wPV TIL that the first woman to fly combat missions was Marie Marvingt, who in 1915 bombed a military base in Germany. In her lifetime, she held four different pilot licenses, unofficially cycled the Tour de France, and was awarded a gold medal "for all sports" by the French Academy of Sports.
b1m0 TIL of a species of Sea Cow over 10 times the size of Manatees that Europeans hunted to extinction in just 27 years
LvJd TIL before Ed Sheeran became internationally famous, he put on a free show for his small fan base. Over 1,000 fans turned up to see the show, so Sheeran ended up playing four different shows to make sure everyone saw a gig, including a gig outside on the street after the venue had closed.