› added 12 years ago

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TIL that, whilst fighting in the Spanish Civil War, George Orwell was shot through the neck. The bullet missed his main artery by a fraction, but he fully recovered - going on to write Animal Farm and 1984, amongst others.

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D1PDP TIL first roller coaster started to transport coal down a hill. But, after people found that it could reach speeds up to 50 miles per hour, tourists asked to ride on it for a few cents.
QJGYe TIL Beauty and the Beast was written in 1740 as a critique of the forced marriages between 13-15 yr old girls to adult men common at the time. Later versions shifted the emphasis to teach young girls "good manners and how to deal with the idea of marrying young and being in an arranged marriage."
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