› added 11 months ago

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TIL that prior to electricity, calcium oxide, or quicklime, was used in theaters to light the stage. This is where the term “in the limelight” came from.

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Wdyo TIL in 1960, the chairman of the Japanese Socialist Party was assassinated during a televised debate by a man wielding a samurai sword.
Oo4L1 TIL that in China, people will rather kill you than hit you with their car to avoid paying medical fees. Since killing someone is just a 1 off payment versus a long compensation.
R75a4 TIL Only Humans have the little flap in the back of your throat called a Uvula, meaning "little grape" in latin
epPlL TIL that copra, dried coconut meat which contains concentrated coconut oil, is banned from flights in India due to the risk of spontaneous combustion.
OoNEe TIL That during the Vietnam War, although 30-40K Americans dodged the draft in Canada, 30K Canadians volunteered to fight for the US in the Vietnam War. One even won the Congressional Medal of Honor.