› added 12 years ago

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TIL - After Mao grabbed power in China there were so many suicides in Shanghai that people were afraid to walk near skyscrapers for fear that suicides might land on them.

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eKNJ TIL Sylvester Stallone broke his neck while filming a fight scene for The Expendables, which required the insertion of a metal plate
M7xn8 TIL: People with severe mental illness are no more likely to engage in violent behavior than the general population, but are more likely to be the victims of violence themselves
OwQg TIL more than 130 years after Darwin suggested that a large moth pollinated an African orchid, his 1862 hypothesis was confirmed. Darwin had postulated the existence of an otherwise unknown species of insect based purely on the size of the flower and his understanding of evolution and ecology.
BM7W TIL it is the 105th anniversary of the Tunguska Event - the largest “impact event” on or near Earth in recorded history, and had scientists confused for many years.
Bg6Oe TIL Tomatoes were thought to be toxic for 200 years in Europe, but their acidity actually helped to dissolve toxic metals from dishes.